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Spectral tuning of biotemplated ZnO photonic nanoarchitectures for photocatalytic applications.

ABSTRACT: The photocatalytic activity of a flat surface can be increased by micro- and nanostructuring the interface to increase the area of the contact surface between the photocatalyst and the solute, and moreover, to optimize charge carrier transfer. Further enhancement can be achieved by using photonic nanostructures, which exhibit photonic band gap (PBG). Structurally coloured butterfly wings offer a rich 'library' of PBGs in the visible spectral range which can be used as naturally tuned sample sets for biotemplating. We used conformal atomic layer deposition of ZnO on the wings of various butterfly species (Arhopala asopia, Hypochrysops polycletus, Morpho sulkowskyi, Polyommatus icarus) possessing structural colour extending from the near UV to the blue wavelength range, to test the effects arising from the nanostructured surfaces and from the presence of different types of PBGs. Aqueous solutions of rhodamine B were used to test the enhancement of photocatalytic activity that was found for all ZnO-coated butterfly wings. The best reaction rate of decomposing rhodamine B when illuminated with visible light was found in 15 nm ZnO coated M. sulkowskyi wing, the reflectance of which had the highest overlap with the absorption band of the dye and had the highest reflectance intensity.

SUBMITTER: Piszter G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9277245 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Spectral tuning of biotemplated ZnO photonic nanoarchitectures for photocatalytic applications.

Piszter Gábor G Kertész Krisztián K Nagy Gergely G Baji Zsófia Z Endre Horváth Zsolt Z Bálint Zsolt Z Sándor Pap József J Péter Biró László L

Royal Society open science 20220713 7

The photocatalytic activity of a flat surface can be increased by micro- and nanostructuring the interface to increase the area of the contact surface between the photocatalyst and the solute, and moreover, to optimize charge carrier transfer. Further enhancement can be achieved by using photonic nanostructures, which exhibit photonic band gap (PBG). Structurally coloured butterfly wings offer a rich 'library' of PBGs in the visible spectral range which can be used as naturally tuned sample sets ...[more]

PMID: 35845847

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Project description:In this article, ZnO:NiO:CuO nanocomposites (NCPs) were synthesized using a hydrothermal method, with different Zn : Ni : Cu molar ratios (1 : 1 : 1, 2 : 1 : 1, 1 : 2 : 1, and 1 : 1 : 1). The PXRD confirmed the formation of a NCP consisting of ZnO (hexagonal), NiO (cubic), and CuO (monoclinic) structures. The crystallite sizes of NCPs were calculated using Debye Scherrer and Williamson-Hall methods. The calculated crystalline sizes (Scherrer method) of the NCPs were determined to be 21, 27, 23, and 20 nm for the molar ratios 1 : 1 : 1, 2 : 1 : 1, 1 : 2 : 1, and 1 : 1 : 2, respectively. FTIR spectra confirmed the successful formation of heterojunction NCPs via the presence of metal-oxygen bonds. The UV-vis spectroscopy was used to calculate the bandgap of synthesized samples and was found in the range of 2.99-2.17 eV. SEM images showed the mixed morphology of NCPs i.e., irregular spherical and rod-like structures. The dielectric properties, including AC conductivity, dielectric constant, impedance, and dielectric loss parameters were measured using an LCR meter. The DC electrical measurements revealed that NCPs have a high electrical conductivity. All the NCPs were evaluated for the photocatalytic degradation of Methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO), and a mixture of both of these dyes. The NCPs with a molar ratio 1 : 1 : 2 (Zn : Ni : Cu) displayed outstanding photocatalytic activity under sunlight, achieving the degradation efficiency of 98% for methylene blue (MB), 92% for methyl orange (MO) and more than 87% in the case of a mixture of dyes within just 90 minutes of illumination. The antibacterial activity results showed the more noxious nature of NCPs against Gram-negative bacteria with a maximum zone of inhibition revealed by the NCPs of molar ratio 1 : 2 : 1 (Zn : Ni : Cu). On the basis of these observations, it can be anticipated that the NCPs can be successfully employed for the purification of contaminated water by the degradation of hazardous organic compounds and in antibacterial ointments.

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Spectral tuning of biotemplated ZnO photonic nanoarchitectures for photocatalytic applications.

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Spectral tuning of biotemplated ZnO photonic nanoarchitectures for photocatalytic applications.

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