Sulania Indra, Karn Ranjeet Kumar, Fiutowski Jacek, Leissner Till, Goszczak Arkadiusz, Chamanehpour Elham, Jayarathna J A Ajani Lakmini, Mishra Yogendra Kumar
Materials Science Group, Inter University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi, Delhi, 110067, India.
Mads Clausen Institute, NanoSYD, University of Southern Denmark, Alsion 2, 6400, Sønderborg, Denmark.
Sci Rep. 2024 Dec 23;14(1):30626. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-68840-7.
Highly porous, self-supported 3D interconnected network-based nanomaterials hold immense promise in revolutionizing the field of catalysis. These materials combine two critical features; a large accessible surface and an overall active surface that leads to substantial catalytic effects. In this study, we developed a novel class of 3D composite material composed of zinc oxide tetrapods (ZOT) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer, specifically designed for photocatalysis. A polymer composite of ZOT with PEG has been synthesized with 2.5 wt.% ZOT powder mixed with a PEG solution forming a 3D electrode. A consistent composite solution was obtained using probe-sonication and its thick layers were deposited on various substrates using the spin coating technique which were subsequently characterized for optical, morphological, and structural properties. The catalytic response of the fabricated 3D composite was evaluated both in solution and thin film forms under UV exposure. The surface-engineered ZOT-PEG composites showed an excellent capability to degrade the methylene blue (MB) dye in different forms under UV and normal light, opening their potential scopes in environmental remediation.
高度多孔、自支撑的基于三维互联网络的纳米材料在催化领域的变革中具有巨大潜力。这些材料结合了两个关键特性：大的可及表面和能产生显著催化效果的整体活性表面。在本研究中，我们开发了一类新型的三维复合材料，它由氧化锌四足体（ZOT）和聚乙二醇（PEG）聚合物组成，专门用于光催化。通过将2.5 wt.%的ZOT粉末与PEG溶液混合形成三维电极，合成了ZOT与PEG的聚合物复合材料。使用探针超声处理获得了均匀的复合溶液，并采用旋涂技术将其厚层沉积在各种基板上，随后对其光学、形态和结构性质进行了表征。在紫外线照射下，以溶液和薄膜形式评估了所制备的三维复合材料的催化响应。表面工程化的ZOT-PEG复合材料在紫外线和自然光下均表现出优异的降解不同形式亚甲基蓝（MB）染料的能力，为其在环境修复中的潜在应用开辟了广阔前景。
