Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO Micro-flowers Loaded with Pt Nanoparticles Used As UV-Light-Driven Photocatalyst

Abstract

ZnO micro-flowers with and without the loaded 0.5–3.0% Pt nanoparticles as UV-light-driven photocatalyst were successfully prepared by microwave assisted-deposition method. The as-synthesized samples were composed of pure phase of wurtzite hexagonal ZnO micro-flowers the diameter of 3–5 μm and uniform hierarchical ZnO micro-flowers loaded with a new phase of face center cubic metallic Pt nanoparticles. The specific surface area was increased from 3.86 m² g^–1 for pure ZnO sample to 6.41 m² g^–1 for 0.5% Pt/ZnO nanocomposites, thus enhancing the photocatalytic performance. Photocatalytic activities of the samples were studied for the degradation of cationic methylene blue (MB) and anionic methyl orange (MO) dyes under UV light irradiation. The photocatalytic efficiencies of heterostructure 0.5% Pt/ZnO nanocomposites were the highest of 97.55 and 82.25% and were 2.51 and 3.07 times those of pure ZnO sample for MB and MO degradation under UV light irradiation, respectively. In this research, heterostructure 0.5% Pt/ZnO nanocomposites were excellently photostable and were the promising photocatalyst in practical application.