Hydrothermal synthesis and photocatalytic activity of highly dispersed ZnO powders

The micromorphology of highly dispersed ZnO powders formed from Zn(OH)₂ gels under hydrothermal conditions is studied by powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray diffraction analysis, and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption. The parameters of hydrothermal synthesis (heating rate, treatment duration, and temperature) are found to effect the microstructural characteristics of the products. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized zinc oxide samples in the model reaction of Methyl Orange photodegradation is studied. The synthesis parameters for preparing ZnO powders with high photocatalytic activity are determined.