Nanomaterials (Mar 2020)

Si Nanocrystals/ZnO Nanowires Hybrid Structures as Immobilized Photocatalysts for Photodegradation

  • Yaozhong Zhang,
  • Rajib Mandal,
  • Daniel C. Ratchford,
  • Rebecca Anthony,
  • Junghoon Yeom

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10030491
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 3
p. 491

Abstract

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Numerous semiconductor-based hybrid nanostructures have been studied for improved photodegradation performance resulting from their broadband optical response and enhanced charge separation/transport characteristics. However, these hybrid structures often involve elements that are rare or toxic. Here, we present the synthesis and material characterization of hybrid nanostructures consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) and silicon nanocrystals (Si-NCs), both abundant and environmentally benign, and evaluate them for photodegradation performance under various illumination conditions. When incorporating Si-NCs into the vertically-aligned ZnO NWs immobilized on substrates, the resulting photocatalysts exhibited a narrowed band gap, i.e., more responsive to visible light, and enhanced charge separation at the interface, i.e., more reactive species produced for degradation. Consequently, the hybrid Si-NCs/ZnO-NWs displayed a superior photodegradability for methylene blue under UV and white light in comparison to the pristine ZnO NWs. Based on the optical measurements, we hypothesize the band structures of Si-NCs/ZnO-NWs and the potential mechanism for the improved photodegradability.

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