CARACTERIZAÇÃO MICROESTRUTURAL E ATIVIDADE FOTOCATALÍTICA DE ÓXIDO DE ZINCO NANOESTRUTURADO SINTETIZADO POR COMBUSTÃO EM SOLUÇÃO

Nanostructured zinc oxide (ZnO) was obtained by combustion synthesis in solution using zinc nitrate and citric acid. Morphology, weight loss, phase transformation and crystallite size were characterized scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric (TGA) and thermal differential (DTA) analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the degradation of a solution of methyl orange. We investigated the influence of different fuel/oxidant molar ratios in the microstructure and in the photocatalytic activity of ZnO. The results showed a higher crystallinity and photocatalytic performance for the products obtained with disabilities fuel in the reaction.