Influence of Seed Layer Surface Position on Morphology and Photocatalysis Efficiency of ZnO Nanorods and Nanoflowers

Abstract

ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers were synthesized by a hydrothermal method via different surface substrate positions at 120°C for 3 h as a growth time. The influence of seed layer surface position on the growth of ZnO nanostructures was observed by the variation of ZnO morphologies from nanorods to nanoflowers. Both analyses XRD and EDS proved the pure wurtzite phase with high crystallinity quality and preferential growth along the c-axis. As displayed from the scanning of surface morphology through SEM, a large amount of ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers were deposited on the full substrate surface. Diverse ZnO photocatalysts were used to study the photodegradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye by UV light. The organic dye MB was decolorized by the most efficient photocatalyst among the ZnO-tested nanostructures. The results showed an improvement of the degradability of this dye from 54% to 81% for ZnO nanoflowers compared to nanorods. Thus, ZnO nanoflowers are the best photocatalyst which have the high efficiency photodegradation and the large rate constant.