title: Ag-ZnO nanoreactor grown on FTO substrate exhibiting high heterogeneous photocatalytic efficiency.
abstract: This Research Article reports an unusually high efficiency heterogeneous photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) in the presence of Ag nanoparticle-loaded ZnO quasi-nanotube or nanoreactor (A-ZNRs) nanocatalyst grown on FTO substrate. In typical process, photodegradation efficiency of as high as 21.6% per μg per Watts of used catalyst and UV power can be normally obtained within only a 60-min reaction time from this system, which is 10(3) order higher than the reported results. This is equivalent to the turnover frequency of 360 mol mol(-1) h(-1). High-density hexagonal A-ZNRs catalysts were grown directly on FTO substrate via a seed-mediated microwave-assisted hydrolysis growth process utilizing Ag nanoparticle of approximately 3 nm in size as nanoseed and mixture aqueous solution of Zn(NO3)·6H2O, hexamethylenetetramine (HMT), and AgNO3 as the growth solution. A-ZNRs adopts hexagonal cross-section morphology with the inner surface of the reactor characterized by a rough and rugged structure. Transmission electron microscopy imaging shows the Ag nanoparticle grows interstitially in the ZnO nanoreactor structure. The high photocatalytic property of the A-ZNRs is associated with the highly active of inner side's surface of A-ZNRs and the oxidizing effect of Ag nanoparticle. The growth mechanism as well as the mechanism of the enhanced-photocatalytic performance of the A-ZNRs will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia , 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sin Tee
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Akrajas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ali Umar
authors.forename: Aamna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balouch
authors.forename: Suratun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nafisah
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yahaya
authors.forename: Chi Chin
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: Muhamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mat Salleh
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Kityk
authors.forename: Munetaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oyama
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010316:Particle Size; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012834:Silver; D015034:Zinc Oxide