Growth Mechanism of Sea Urchin ZnO Nanostructures in Aqueous Solutions and Their Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Organic Dyes.

ABSTRACT: This work reports the development of a fast and simple route for the synthesis of ZnO sea urchin (SU) nanostructures by the formation and assembly of ZnO nanorods under favorable growth conditions in an aqueous solution. The thermal treatment of a basic zinc acetate solution in ethanol results in the formation of aggregated seed clusters consisting of small ZnO nanorods, which were then grown in a precursor solution containing Zn(NO3)2·6H2O and hexamethylenetetramine to assemble the SU structures from the anisotropic ZnO nanorods on the surface of the seed clusters. Each ZnO nanoparticle in the aggregated seed clusters grew sequentially into a ZnO nanorod, and the nanorods were concentric to the core of the clusters yielding the unique SU-like shape. In the presence of a capping agent such

SUBMITTER: Kiriarachchi HD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6714608 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature