| 초록 |
Semiconductor-based photocatalysts may be a promising solution for water splitting, hydrogen evolution, and waste water treatment. There have been many material-wise efforts to enhance the efficiency of photocatalysts, including the use of nanostructured photocatalysts, doped photocatalysts, and heterostructured photocatalysts. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a typical metal oxide semiconductor that has been intensively investigated for photocatalysis. This material has been considered as a potential material for decontamination and disinfection of waste water, due to its high surface activity, direct band gap, and ease of nanofabrication. However, the high recombination rate between electrons and holes weakens its photocatalytic activity. To solve this problem, we developed novel silver nanowires/ZnO nanorods/Ag nanoparticles (AgNWs/ZnO NRs/AgNPs) hierarchical structures resembling nanoscale pine trees by a three-step solution method. Experimental results demonstrated that the hierarchical nanostructures exhibited excellent photocatalytic decomposition for multiple dyes such as methylene blue, methyl orange, and rhodamine B. The photocatalytic efficiency was greatly superior to pure ZnO nanostructures and Ag/ZnO hybrid nanostructures. Furthermore, they revealed good cyclic performance and recovery characteristics. |
