Berlin 2012 – scientific programme

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O: Fachverband Oberflächenphysik

O 28: Heterogeneous catalysis II

O 28.7: Talk

Tuesday, March 27, 2012, 12:00–12:15, MA 042

ZnO micro- and nanostructures for photocatalytic applications — Ingo Paulowicz, Yogendra Kumar Mishra, Sebastian Wille, and •Rainer Adelung — Institute for Materials Science, Functional Nanomaterials, University of Kiel, Kaiserstr. 2, D-24143 Kiel, Germany

Photocatalysis has demonstrated great potential in degrading organic pollutants and thus is a promising mechanism in environmental and medical cleaning applications.

We present results on ZnO micro- and nanostructures which were produced employing two variants of a novel synthesis route.

ZnO microstructures were synthesized using a batch process, called the Flame Transport Synthesis (FTS, patent pending, DE 10 2010 012 385.4). The resulting powder can be formed into various shapes like tetrapods or core spike particles. Density as well as porosity can be tuned over a wide range by applying a post synthesis sintering step, underlining the possibility for upscaling.

ZnO nanostructures were synthesized using a modification of the FTS, which allows a continuous and ultra-rapid fabrication process, in which ZnO structures are produced from Zn in less than 20 ms.

Both systems were evaluated using a test-dye (methylene blue) and showed high conversion rates, where the nanostructured ZnO samples were about 20 times more efficient than their micro structured counterparts. First experiments with waste water were conducted.