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Synthesis Temperature Dependent Morphological Evolution in Zinc Titanate Heteronanostructures and Their Application in Environmental Remediation
Author(s) -
Sharma Urvashi,
Jeevanandam Pethaiyan
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemistryselect
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 2365-6549
DOI - 10.1002/slct.201601269
Subject(s) - calcination , zinc , titanate , materials science , photocatalysis , rhodamine b , chemical engineering , photodegradation , nanoparticle , scanning electron microscope , nanotechnology , catalysis , ceramic , metallurgy , composite material , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
The synthesis of Zn‐Ti glycolates at different temperatures (RT to 200 °C) with different morphologies which convert to zinc titanate heteronanostructures after calcination (500/700 °C) has been reported. The effect of synthesis temperature on morphology, optical properties and photocatalytic activity of the heteronanostructures has been investigated. X‐ray diffraction studies indicate that after calcination, cubic ZnTiO 3 is formed from the Zn‐Ti glycolates synthesized at lower temperatures (≤100 °C) while Zn 2 TiO 4 is formed at higher temperatures (>100 °C). Electron microscopy studies show that the Zn‐Ti glycolates synthesized at lower temperatures (≤100 °C) and the corresponding zinc titanates exhibit rod‐like morphology. The Zn‐Ti glycolate synthesized at 150 °C and the corresponding zinc titanate possess mixture of rod and spherical morphology. The Zn‐Ti glycolates synthesized at 180 and 200 °C and the zinc titanates exhibit spherical morphology. The rods and spheres were found to be formed in turn by assembly of nanoparticles. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopic studies show that the band gap of zinc titanates (3.2 eV to 3.75 eV) depends on synthesis temperature of Zn‐Ti glycolates and also the calcination temperature. The zinc titanate heteronanostructures were explored as catalysts for the photodegradation of rhodamine B and crystal violet in aqueous solutions in the presence of sunlight and the zinc titanate spheres exhibit the best catalytic activity.