Photocatalytic properties of solution combustion synthesized ZnO powders using mixture of CTAB and glycine and citric acid fuels

• Published in: Advanced powder technology : the international journal of the Society of Powder Technology, Japan Japan, 2019-02, Vol.30 (2), p.284-291
• Main Authors: Vahdat Vasei, H., Masoudpanah, S.M., Adeli, M., Aboutalebi, M.R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CTAB; Mixture of fuels; Photocatalytic activity; Solution combustion synthesis; ZnO
• ISSN: 0921-8831; 1568-5527
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apt.2018.11.004

(A) PL spectra of the as-combusted ZnO powders using (a) the mixture of CTAB and glycine fuels and (b) the mixture of CTAB and citric acid fuels at ϕ=1 and (the inset shows normalized PL spectra) and (B) the energy band diagram. [Display omitted] •Mixture of fuels was used for preparation of single phase ZnO powders.•Mixture of CTAB and citric acid fuels led to the higher specific surface area.•The higher visible emission for mixture of fuels related to the lower crystallinity.•The complete photodegradation of MB was achieved by the as-combusted ZnO powders. Zinc oxide (ZnO) powders have been prepared by solution combustion synthesis method using combination of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) with glycine and citric acid fuels. The combustion behavior, phase evolution, microstructure, optical properties and photocatalytic performance were compared by thermal analysis, X-ray diffractometry, electron microscopy, and diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence spectrometry techniques at various fuel to oxidant ratios (ϕ = 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.5). Single phase and well-crystalline ZnO powders were directly formed regardless of fuel type and fuel content. The higher specific surface area and pore volume of the as-combusted ZnO powders using mixture of CTAB and citric acid fuels increased with fuel content. The lower band gap energies (3.10–3.16 eV) of the as-combusted ZnO powders in the presence of glycine fuel were attributed to their lower crystallinity, as confirmed by higher visible emission in photoluminescence spectra. The higher photodegradation of methylene blue under ultraviolet light irradiation was achieved by the as-combusted ZnO powders by using CTAB-citric acid mixed fuels, due to their good crystallinity and higher specific surface area.