Optical and photocatalytic behaviours of nanoparticles in the Ti–Zn–O binary system

Continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis (CHFS) has been used as a rapid and clean, synthetic method to produce a range of crystalline nanoparticles in the Ti-Zn-O binary system. The nanopowders were prepared from aqueous solutions of titanium(iv) bis(ammonium lactato)dihydroxide (TIBALD) and hydrated zinc nitrate, respectively, using a CHFS reactor which uses superheated water (at 400 degree C and 24.1 MPa) as a reagent and crystallizing medium. The resulting nanopowders were heat-treated at 850 degree C for five hours in air to give photoactive semiconductor mixtures of rutile and zinc oxide and/or zinc titanates. The as-prepared powders and their corresponding heat-treated mixed phase photocatalysts were characterized using powder X-ray synchrotron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, BET surface area measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Because of the interest for these materials in UVA and UVB attenuating materials, the UV-Vis profiles of the nanocomposites and solid solutions were studied. Photocatalytic activity of the samples towards the decolourisation of methylene blue dye was also assessed.