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A comparative evaluation of the photocatalytic and optical properties of nanoparticulate ZnO synthesised by mechanochemical processing

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Abstract

In this study, mechanochemical processing has been used to manufacture a nanoparticulate powder of ZnO with a controlled particle size and minimal hard agglomeration. The suitability of this ZnO powder for use as either a photocatalyst or an optically transparent UV-filter was evaluated by comparing its optical and photocatalytic properties with those of three commercially available powders that were synthesised by chemical precipitation and flame pyrolysis. The ZnO powder synthesised by mechanochemical processing was found to exhibit high optical transparency and low photocatalytic activity per unit of surface area, which indicates that it is suitable for use in optically transparent UV-filters.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Australian Research Council under Linkage Project LP0349177 and was carried out using facilities at the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, which is supported by University, State and Federal Government funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Mail Stop M313, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Aaron Dodd & Allan McKinley

  2. Advanced Nanotechnology Limited, 112 Radium Street, Welshpool, WA, 6106, Australia

    Takuya Tsuzuki

  3. Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Aaron Dodd & Martin Saunders

Authors
  1. Aaron Dodd
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  2. Allan McKinley
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  3. Takuya Tsuzuki
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  4. Martin Saunders
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Correspondence to Aaron Dodd.

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Dodd, A., McKinley, A., Tsuzuki, T. et al. A comparative evaluation of the photocatalytic and optical properties of nanoparticulate ZnO synthesised by mechanochemical processing. J Nanopart Res 10 (Suppl 1), 243–248 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-008-9412-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-008-9412-1

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