ZnOCZnO sandwich structures: Fabrication and photocatalytic applications

IF 1.6 Q2 MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES

MethodsX Pub Date : 2025-04-21 DOI:10.1016/j.mex.2025.103326

Thi Ly Tran , Thi Le Na Vo , Hung-Anh Tran Vu , Quoc Viet Ho , Anh Tuan Duong , Viet Huong Nguyen , Huu Tuan Nguyen

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Abstract

This study investigates the development of ZnOCZnO sandwich structures using ZnO thin films fabricated via the spatial atomic layer deposition (SALD) technique under atmospheric pressure. Carbon powders obtained from candle soot were introduced to modify the structural, optical, and photocatalytic properties of ZnO. The influence of this carbon layer on the structural, optical, and photocatalytic characteristics of the materials was comprehensively analyzed. The results indicate that incorporating carbon significantly enhances light absorption and charge carrier separation, leading to superior photocatalytic activity under UV light. The ZnOCZnO structures exhibited a reduced bandgap (3.20 eV) compared to bare ZnO (3.27 eV), facilitating improved photon absorption. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed weaker and broader peaks in ZnOCZnO, suggesting reduced crystallite size and increased structural disorder due to carbon incorporation. The photocatalytic efficiency was assessed via methylene blue degradation under UV–Vis irradiation. The ZnOCZnO structures achieved an 88.2 % degradation rate after 180 min, surpassing the 62.9 % degradation observed for bare ZnO film. This enhancement is attributed to improved charge separation and suppressed recombination facilitated by the carbon interlayer. The findings highlight the potential of ZnOCZnO structures for environmental remediation and energy applications.

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Development of ZnOCZnO sandwich structures using SALD under atmospheric conditions.
•
Integration of a candle soot-derived carbon layer to improve material properties.
•
Achieved enhanced photocatalytic efficiency through enhanced surface area and improved charge separation.

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ZnOCZnO夹层结构：制备及光催化应用

本研究利用空间原子层沉积（SALD）技术制备ZnO薄膜，在常压下制备ZnOCZnO夹层结构。介绍了蜡烛烟灰制备的碳粉对ZnO的结构、光学和光催化性能的改性。综合分析了该碳层对材料结构、光学和光催化特性的影响。结果表明，碳的掺入显著增强了材料的光吸收和载流子分离，从而提高了材料在紫外光下的光催化活性。与ZnO （3.27 eV）相比，ZnOCZnO结构的带隙减小（3.20 eV），有利于提高光子吸收。x射线衍射（XRD）分析显示，ZnOCZnO的峰变弱、变宽，表明碳的掺入使晶体尺寸减小，结构无序度增加。通过紫外-可见照射对亚甲基蓝的降解评价了光催化效率。在180 min后，ZnOCZnO结构的降解率达到了88.2%，超过了裸ZnO膜的62.9%。这种增强是由于碳中间层促进了电荷分离和抑制了复合。研究结果强调了ZnOCZnO结构在环境修复和能源应用方面的潜力。•在大气条件下使用SALD开发ZnOCZnO夹层结构。•整合蜡烛烟灰衍生碳层，以改善材料性能。•通过增加表面积和改善电荷分离，实现了更高的光催化效率。

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