Aspect-ratio-dependent photoinduced antimicrobial and photocatalytic organic pollutant degradation efficiency of ZnO nanorods.

Sharma, Rishabh; Khanuja, Manika; Islam, S.; Singhal, Uma; Varma, Ajit

The photo-antimicrobial and photocatalytic performance of ZnO nanorods as a function of aspect ratio are presented. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized ZnO nanorod samples against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively) was determined by shake flask method with respect to time. ZnO nanorods with high aspect ratio showed superior antimicrobial and photocatalytic activity. These results are supported by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) studies. Degradation of methylene blue dye as model organic pollutant was used to assess their photocatalytic activity. Pseudo-first-order rate kinetics was used to calculate the photocatalytic reaction rate constant. The mechanisms for both antimicrobial and photocatalytic activity are elucidated.

ZINC oxide; NANORODS; POLLUTANTS; CHEMICALS; NANOSTRUCTURED materials

Research on Chemical Intermediates, 2017, Vol 43, Issue 10, p5345

0922-6168

Academic Journal

10.1007/s11164-017-2930-7