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Electrosynthesis of ZnO nanomaterials in aqueous medium with CTAB cationic stabilizer

  • Original Paper: Nano-structured materials (particles, fibers, colloids, composites, etc.)
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Abstract

ZnO nanoparticles were prepared with a green, cheap, and easy aqueous electrochemical process. The electrolyte was made of a stabilizing cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) dissolved in NaHCO3 at pH = 8. The electrosynthesis was carried out galvanostatically at 10 mA/cm2, at room temperature or at 80 °C for 1 h. Gel-like pristine colloids, made of mixed Zn carbonates and hydroxides, underwent post-synthesis thermal treatments to allow a compete conversion to ZnO. Calcination was carried out at 300 or 600 °C for 1 h. All nanomaterials were characterized at each step of their production by transmission electron microscopy, UV–Vis, infrared (FT–IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. Electrochemical synthesis at 80 °C followed by calcination at 300 °C for 1 h allowed preparing ZnO submicron structures with good morphology and stoichiometry.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR) for Grant number PON03PE_00004_1 (PON MAIND) is gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, via E. Orabona 4, 70126, Bari, Italy

    Rosaria Anna Picca, Maria Chiara Sportelli, Riccarda Lopetuso & Nicola Cioffi

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  1. Rosaria Anna Picca
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  2. Maria Chiara Sportelli
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  3. Riccarda Lopetuso
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  4. Nicola Cioffi
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Correspondence to Rosaria Anna Picca or Nicola Cioffi.

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Picca, R.A., Sportelli, M.C., Lopetuso, R. et al. Electrosynthesis of ZnO nanomaterials in aqueous medium with CTAB cationic stabilizer. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 81, 338–345 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-016-4268-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-016-4268-9

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