Microwave-assisted solution synthesis and photocatalytic activity of Ag nanoparticles supported on ZnO nanostructure flowers

Ag nanoparticles supported on the surface of three-dimensional (3D) flower-like ZnO nanostructure were synthesized by a microwave-assisted solution method. The obtained products were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectrophotometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The analytical results confirmed homogeneously distributed Ag nanoparticles supported on the surface of flower-like ZnO nanostructure. The photocatalytic effect of the heterostructure Ag/ZnO nanocomposites was investigated using photodegradation under ultraviolet (UV) light of methylene blue as model dye. The heterostructure Ag/ZnO nanocomposites exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than pure ZnO flowers. The improved photocatalytic properties are attributed to formation of a Schottky barrier at the metal–semiconductor interface of the Ag/ZnO nanocomposites.     

Photocatalytic Performance of Sm-Doped ZnO Prepared by Sonochemical Process

Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry A - 0–3 wt % Sm-doped ZnO nanostructures were prepared by sonochemical process. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning...     

Synthesis,Characterization and Antibacterial Activity of BiVO4 Microstructure

Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry A - Hyperbranched BiVO4 microstructure were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Upon characterization the products by X-ray diffraction (XRD),...     

Solvothermal production of CdS nanorods using polyvinylpyrrolidone as a template

CdS nanorods were solvothermally produced using Cd(NO₃)₂ and S powder in ethylenediamine containing different amounts of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The phase with hexagonal structure was detected using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). Their SAED patterns were in accordance with those of the simulations. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM) revealed the presence of CdS nanorods with their lengths influenced by different amounts of PVP. The nanorods were also characterized using high resolution TEM (HRTEM). They grew in the [001] direction normal to the (002) parallel crystallographic planes composing the nanorods. Raman spectra showed the 1LO (first harmonic) and 2LO (second harmonic) modes at the same wavenumbers although the products were produced under different conditions. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Hydrothermal synthesis of Ag-doped BiOI nanostructure used for photocatalysis

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A series of Ag-doped BiOI photocatalysts with different Ag contents was successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method at 120 °C for...     

Synthesis,characterization and electrochemical properties of α-MoO<Subscript>3</Subscript> nanobelts for Li-ion batteries

Orthorhombic molybdenum trioxide (α-MoO₃) nanobelts have been successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method at 180°C for 20 h. The prepared α-MoO₃ samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy methods. It was found that α-MoO₃ nanobelts grow along the c-axis, with ±(100) top or bottom surfaces and ±(010) side surfaces. The prepared α-MoO₃ nanobelts were used as cathode materials for Li-ion batteries. They exhibit specific capacity of 1340 and 1250 mA h g^–1 at a current density of 100 and 400 mA/g, respectively.     

Hydrothermal synthesis,characterization, and photocatalytic performance of W-doped MoO<Subscript>3</Subscript> nanobelts

Orthorhombic MoO₃ and W-doped MoO₃ nanobelts were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The effect of W dopant on the photocatalytic performance of W-doped MoO₃ nanobelts was studied. The phase, morphology, and oxidation state of the products were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier-transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In this research, MoO₃ and W-doped MoO₃ exhibited the same phase and morphology of orthorhombic nanobelts with growth along the [001] direction, including detection of Mo⁶⁺, O^2?, and W⁶⁺ in the 3 mol% W-doped MoO₃ sample. The photocatalytic performance of the as-synthesized MoO₃ and W-doped MoO₃ nanobelts was monitored through photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible radiation. W-doped MoO₃ nanobelts showed better photocatalytic performance than pure MoO₃. The 3 mol% W-doped MoO₃ photocatalyst exhibited very good visible-light-driven activity for photodegradation of MB, as high as 99 % within 60 min.     

Influence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide on the morphology of AWO4 (A = Ca, Sr) prepared by cyclic microwave irradiation

AWO₄ (A = Ca, Sr) was prepared from metal salts [Ca(NO₃)₂·4H₂O or Sr(NO₃)₂], Na₂WO₄·2H₂O and different moles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in water by cyclic microwave irradiation. The structure of AWO₄ was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the presence of nanoparticles in clusters with different morphologies; spheres, peaches with notches, dumb-bells and bundles, influenced by CTAB. Six Raman vibrational peaks of scheelite structure were detected at 908, 835, 793, 399, 332 and 210 cm⁻¹ for CaWO₄ and 917, 833, 795, 372, 336 and 192 cm⁻¹ for SrWO₄, which are assigned as ν₁(A_g), ν₃(B_g), ν₃(E_g), ν₄(B_g), ν₂(A_g) and ν_f.r.(A_g), respectively. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra provided the evidence of W-O stretching vibration in [WO₄]²⁻ tetrahedrons at 793 cm⁻¹ for CaWO₄ and 807 cm⁻¹ for SrWO₄. The peaks of photoluminescence (PL) spectra were at 428-434 nm for CaWO₄, and 447-451 nm for SrWO₄.     

Influence of Calcination Temperature on Particle Size and Photocatalytic Activity of Nanosized NiO Powder

Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry A - Nanosized NiO particles were synthesized by a combined solvothermal-calcination process using Ni(NO3)2 · 6H2O as a starting reagent in the presence of...     

Microwave-assisted synthesis and characterization of SrMoO4 and SrWO4 nanocrystals

Journal of Nanoparticle Research - SrMoO4 and SrWO4 nanocrystals have been synthesized using Sr(NO3)2 and Na2MeO4 (Me&nbsp;=&nbsp;Mo and W) in ethylene glycol by a microwave irradiation...