Two-Solvent Method Synthesis of NiO/ZnO Nanoparticles Embedded in Mesoporous SBA-15: Photocatalytic Properties Study.
Different loadings of NiO/ZnO nanoparticles embedded in mesoporous silica (SBA-15) were prepared via a two-solvent method with the ordered hexagonal mesoporous structure of SBA-15 kept. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, diffusive reflective UV-vis spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption porosimetry were employed to characterize the nanocomposites. The results indicate that the ordered hexagonal mesoporous structure of SBA-15 is kept and the absorption band edges of the nanocomposites shift into the ultraviolet light regime. The photocatalytic activity of our samples for degradation of methylene orange was investigated under UV light irradiation, and the results show that the nanocomposites have higher photodegradation ability toward methylene orange than commercial pure P-25. The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites was found to be dependent on both the adsorption ability of the SBA-15 and the photocatalytic activity of NiO-ZnO nanoparticles encapsulated in SBA-15. In addition, there is an optimal loading of NiO-ZnO nanoparticles. Too high or low loading will lower the photodegradation ability of the nanocomposites.
Key laboratory of Information Materials and Device, School of Physics and Materials Science, Anhui University, Hefei, 230039, People's Republic of China. daipeng@mail.ustc.edu.cn.
Peng
P
Dai
Key laboratory of Information Materials and Device, School of Physics and Materials Science, Anhui University, Hefei, 230039, People's Republic of China.
Tao-Tao
TT
Yan
Key laboratory of Information Materials and Device, School of Physics and Materials Science, Anhui University, Hefei, 230039, People's Republic of China.
Xin-Xin
XX
Yu
Key laboratory of Information Materials and Device, School of Physics and Materials Science, Anhui University, Hefei, 230039, People's Republic of China.
Zhi-Man
ZM
Bai
Key laboratory of Information Materials and Device, School of Physics and Materials Science, Anhui University, Hefei, 230039, People's Republic of China. mingzaiwu@gmail.com.|Engineering Technology Research Center of Magnetic Materials, Hefei, 230039, People's Republic of China. mingzaiwu@gmail.com.
Ming-Zai
MZ
Wu
Mesoporous silica; Nanocomposites; Photocatalysis; Two-solvent method