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A facile co-precipitation synthesis of heterostructured ZrO2|ZnO nanoparticles as efficient photocatalysts for wastewater treatment

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Abstract

ZrO2-decorated ZnO (ZrO2|ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant. The ZrO2 amount in the NPs has been varied from 1.0, 2.0, 4.9, to 9.3% by weight. The resulting NPs are heterostructured and consist of a crystalline ZnO core (wurtzite phase) surrounded by an amorphous ZrO2 layer. X-ray diffraction analyses support this observation. The NPs show a narrow size distribution and are slightly elongated. Compared to pure ZnO NPs, the hybrid ZrO2|ZnO ones show enhanced photocatalytic activity toward the degradation of Rhodamine B under UV–Vis light. Such enhancement has been partly attributed to the increased amount of oxygen vacancies when ZrO2 is incorporated into the NPs, as shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support by the Spanish Government (Projects MAT2014-57960-C3-2-R and MAT2014-57960-C3-1-R with associated FEDER), Generalitat de Catalunya (2014-SGR-1015) and Basque Government (ELKARTEK, FN KK-2015/00101) is acknowledged. E.P. is grateful to MINECO for the “Ramon y Cajal” contract (RYC-2012-10839).

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Correspondence to Eva Pellicer.

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Quintana, A., Altube, A., García-Lecina, E. et al. A facile co-precipitation synthesis of heterostructured ZrO2|ZnO nanoparticles as efficient photocatalysts for wastewater treatment. J Mater Sci 52, 13779–13789 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1488-5

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