Microwave-assisted synthesis of ZnO for photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) in aqueous solution

• Main Authors: Liu, Xinjuan, Lv, Tian, Pan, Likun, Sun, Zhuo, Sun, Changqing
• Other Authors: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/98004; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/10892
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

ZnO sheets have been synthesized via microwave-assisted reaction of ZnO precursor in aqueous solution using a CEM microwave system. Their morphologies, crystal structures and photocatalytic performances in the reduction of Cr(VI) were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and UV-vis absorption spectrophotometer, respectively. Results show that ZnO sheets synthesized in 5 min time scale exhibits a optimal photocatalytic performance in the reduction of Cr(VI) with removal efficiency of 81% under UV irradiation due to the maximal intensity of light absorption and the minimal probability of electron-hole pair recombination.