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Injection of interstitial atoms by specially prepared surfaces submerged in liquid water near room temperature offers an attractive approach for post-synthesis defect manipulation and isotopic purification in device structures. However, this approach can be limited by trapping reactions that form small defect clusters. The compositions and dissociation barriers of such clusters remain mostly unknown. This communication seeks to address this gap by measuring the dissociation energies of oxygen interstitial traps in rutile TiO2 and wurtzite ZnO exposed to liquid water. Isotopic self-diffusion measurements using 18O, combined with progressive annealing protocols, suggest the traps are small interstitial clusters with dissociation energies ranging from 1.3 to 1.9 eV. These clusters may comprise a family incorporating various numbers, compositions, and configurations of O and H atoms; however, in TiO2, native interstitial clusters left over from initial synthesis may also play a role. Families of small clusters are probably common in semiconducting oxides and have several consequences for post-synthesis defect manipulation and purification of semiconductors using submerged surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite rather extensive study of the random lasing effect in ZnO structures, the issue of the optical gain mechanisms in microstructured ZnO random lasers remains poorly understood. In this work, the radiative properties of an array of vertically aligned ZnO microrods, synthesized by a modified thermal evaporation method, were studied. The microrods exhibited lengths up to 60 μm and diameters ranging from 1 to 5 μm. Random lasing from a microrod array was observed in the near-UV range (with a laser emission peak wavelength of ∼391 nm) with a threshold down to 40 kW/cm2 under optical excitation. An analysis of the nature of optical gain in the grown structure was conducted at various temperatures. It was found that at room temperature, two-phonon-assisted exciton recombination is the main process leading to light amplification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial synapses based on memristors are used in emulating the synaptic plasticity behavior of a human brain. Here, we have proposed a transparent memristor based on aluminum zinc oxide (AZO) on a flexible substrate—polyethylene naphthalate. We have analyzed the elemental composition of the gadget subjected to the optimized flow rate of Ar/O2 = 2/1 by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The prepared AZO/ZnO/indium-doped tin oxide memristor exhibits a bipolar switching behavior with Vset/Vreset of 1.4/−2.0 V. The results reflect an acceptable endurance of >500 cycles and retention of 104 s. The optimized device shows an improvement in the non-linearity of potentiation—2.31/depression—3.05 and has more than 25 cycles of stability. The transparency is checked using a UV-visible spectrophotometer showing 90% transparency in the visible region making the device suitable for applications in invisible electronics. Our results reflect that the proposed device can be used as a transparent electrode in making artificial synapses for neuromorphic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To develop the most compatible cementation protocol for ensuring minimal residual cement and optimal retention of cement-retained implant-supported fixed dental prostheses. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 custom implant abutments and zirconia crowns with bilateral wings were prepared. Three cement types were used for cementation: noneugenol resin cement (Premier Implant Cement; Group IC), dual-polymerizing self-adhesive resin cement (SmartCem2; Group SC), and zinc oxide eugenol cement (Temp-Bond; Group TB; n = 30 per group). Three cementation methods were applied for each cement type, and the samples were divided into subgroups: (1) cement was injected using a graduated syringe (ICN, SC-N, and TB-N); (2) a cementation jig made with a silicone impression material and temporary resin material was used (IC-CJ, SC-CJ, and TB-CJ); (3) 3D-printed abutments were used as replicas for cementation (IC-3DP, SC-3DP, and TB-3DP). The amount of cement injected, surface area of the residual cement, and retentive strength were measured. Kruskal-Wallis and post-hoc Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical analyses. Results: Excess cement was not observed when cementation jig or 3D-printed replicas were used. For IC and SC subgroups, non-use of these auxiliary tools resulted in significantly higher amounts of injected cement. The retentive strength differed significantly among the IC subgroups but not among the SC subgroups. The retentive strength of subgroups TB-N and TB-CJ was significantly higher than that of subgroup TB-3DP. Conclusions: To prolong the main purpose of each cement type, a cementation jig or 3D-printed replica is highly recommended regardless of the cement type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the anticipated foliar application of nanoparticles (NPs) as a potential strategy to improve crop production and ameliorate heavy metal toxicity, it is crucial to evaluate the role of NPs in improving the nutrient content of plants under Lead (Pb) stress for achieving higher agriculture productivity to ensure food security. Herein, Brassica napus L. grown under Pb contaminated soil (300 mg/kg) was sprayed with different rates (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L) of TiO2 and ZnO-NPs. The plants were evaluated for growth attributes, photosynthetic pigments, leaf exchange attributes, oxidant and antioxidant enzyme activities. The results revealed that 100 mg/L NPs foliar application significantly augmented plant growth, photosynthetic pigments, and leaf gas exchange attributes. Furthermore, 100 mg/L TiO2 and ZnO-NPs application showed a maximum increase in SPAD values (79.1%, 68.9%). NPs foliar application (100 mg/L TiO2 and ZnO-NPs) also substantially reduced malondialdehyde (44.3%, 38.3%), hydrogen peroxide (59.9%, 53.1%), electrolyte leakage (74.8%, 68.3%), and increased peroxidase (93.8%, 89.1%), catalase (91.3%, 84.1%), superoxide dismutase (81.8%, 73.5%) and ascorbate peroxidase (78.5%, 73.7%) thereby reducing Pb accumulation. NPs foliar application (100 mg/L) significantly reduced root Pb (45.7%, 42.3%) and shoot Pb (84.1%, 76.7%) concentration in TiO2 and ZnO-NPs respectively, as compared to control. Importantly, macro and micronutrient analysis showed that foliar application 100 mg/L TiO2 and ZnO-NPs increased shoot zinc (58.4%, 78.7%) iron (79.3%, 89.9%), manganese (62.8%, 68.6%), magnesium (72.1%, 93.7%), calcium (58.2%, 69.9%) and potassium (81.5%, 68.6%) when compared to control without NPs. The same trend was observed for root nutrient concentration. In conclusion, we found that the TiO2 and ZnO-NPs have the greatest efficiency at 100 mg/L concentration to alleviate Pb induced toxicity on growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient content of Brassica napus L. NPs foliar application is a promising strategy to ensure sustainable agriculture and food safety under metal contamination.

Soil salinity is a major nutritional challenge with poor agriculture production characterized by high sodium (Na+) ions in the soil. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and biochar have received attention as a sustainable strategy to reduce biotic and abiotic stress. However, there is a lack of information regarding the incorporation of ZnO NPs with biochar to ameliorate the salinity stress (0, 50,100 mM). Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the potentials of ZnO NPs application (priming and foliar) alone and with a combination of biochar on the growth and nutrient availability of spinach plants under salinity stress. Results demonstrated that salinity stress at a higher rate (100 mM) showed maximum growth retardation by inducing oxidative stress, resulted in reduced photosynthetic rate and nutrient availability. ZnO NPs (priming and foliar) alone enhanced growth, chlorophyll contents and gas exchange parameters by improving the antioxidant enzymes activity of spinach under salinity stress. While, a significant and more pronounced effect was observed at combined treatments of ZnO NPs with biochar amendment. More importantly, ZnO NPs foliar application with biochar significantly reduced the Na+ contents in root 57.69%, and leaves 61.27% of spinach as compared to the respective control. Furthermore, higher nutrient contents were also found at the combined treatment of ZnO NPs foliar application with biochar. Overall, ZnO NPs combined application with biochar proved to be an efficient and sustainable strategy to alleviate salinity stress and improve crop nutritional quality under salinity stress. We inferred that ZnO NPs foliar application with a combination of biochar is more effectual in improving crop nutritional status and salinity mitigation than priming treatments with a combination of biochar.

Vacancies are generated in semiconductor devices while operating in the space radiation environment, impacting semiconductor carrier concentrations and dynamics. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) is used to probe these defect concentrations in bulk grown GaN, GaP, InAs, InP, Si, MgO, and ZnO both as-grown and as a function of 2–4 MeV proton irradiation. All samples were irradiated to yield a common initial damage production and characterized identically. In as-grown samples, PALS reveals vacancy concentrations above the saturation limit in the oxides, disabling further analysis. As a function of dose, of the materials in which defect accumulation could be probed, it is observed that GaN is the most resistant to the accumulation of defects (attributed to the Ga vacancies) and Si is the least. GaP (attributed to the Ga vacancy) and InAs exhibit slightly higher rates of vacancy accumulation than GaN. InP exhibits high defect accumulation rates approaching that of Si. This information is key to understanding the operation of a diverse set of semiconductors in the space radiation environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have investigated red light (∼ 660 nm) and magnetic field dependence of impedance across (100 − x)% ZnO(zinc oxide)– x % rGO(reduced graphene oxide)/La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 (LSMO)/ITO (x =0,0.6,0.8,100) heterostructure devices. Field-induced scattering due to the spin filter effect and spin polarized tunneling (SPT) have been extracted from the zinc oxide–reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite/LSMO space charge region (ZnO–rGO/LSMO SCR) and the LSMO active region of the devices, respectively. Higher SPT leads to higher LSMO SCR scattering across the devices. Devices with higher rGO contents could not be fitted with two RC circuits as resistance values because the two phenomena are incomparable with each other. Light-induced scattering has been observed at the ZnO–rGO nanocomposite active region and ZnO–rGO/LSMO SCR of the devices. For composite devices with x =0.8 and 0.6, higher photocarrier generation at ZnO–rGO nanocomposite active layer leads to enhanced scattering at LSMO SCR with light illumination. Light-dependent scattering at both regions, however, follows almost same decreasing trend for bare devices with x =0, 100. The decreasing trend of light-dependent scattering for ZnO/LSMO/ITO and rGO/LSMO/ITO bare devices suddenly gets reversed and, eventually, follows an increasing trend at magnetic field ambiance of 0.5 and 1 kOe, respectively. The LSMO SCRs of the bare devices got enhanced with the field, leading to a light-dependent response similar to composite devices at the higher field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to greatly improve the photocatalytic properties, corn-like ZnO/ZnS heterojunctions with a particle size of about 60–71 nm have been synthesized by the solvothermal method and the subsequent sulfuration process. A declining trend is found for the specific surface area with increasing sulfuration time. The corn-like ZnO/ZnS heterojunctions exhibit good photocatalytic properties. With increasing sulfuration time, the degradation rate increases first and then decreases. The best degradation rate is observed for the heterojunction sulfurated for 90 min. The strong broad luminescence band is extremely beneficial to the absorption of visible light by multiphoton process. In addition, the energy transfer from ZnS to ZnO contributes to charge separation, forming a type-II heterojunction mechanism. After one cycle of photocatalytic process, except that corns become more broken, variation of particle size and shape is very small. The degradation speed of RhB after a second cycle of photocatalytic process is slower than the first one except when using the sample sulfurated for 360 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides and semiconductor metal oxides have shown great potential in photocatalysis. However, their stability and efficiency need to be further improved. In this paper, porous ZnO nanorods with high specific surface area were prepared from metal-organic framework ZIF-8 by a simple hydrothermal method. A MoS2/ZnO composite was constructed by loading MoS2 onto the surface of porous ZnO nanorods. Compared with ZnO materials prepared by other methods, MoS2/ZnO prepared in this paper exhibits superior photocatalytic performance. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the MoS2/ZnO composite can be attributed to the formation of heterojunctions and strong interaction between them, which greatly facilitate the separation of electrons and holes at the contact interface. In addition, due to the wide absorption region of the visible spectrum, MoS2 can greatly broaden the light absorption range of the material after the formation of the composite material, increase the utilization rate of visible light, and reduce the combination of electrons and holes. This study provides a new way to prepare cheap and efficient photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption, desorption, and diffusion dynamics of hydrogen gas molecules over a hexagonal ZnO monolayer have been studied thoroughly in the van der Waals Density Functional Theory (vdW-DFT) framework in association with kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulations. Hydrogen molecules can attach to a ZnO sheet via a weak physisorption process with a limitation of maximum attachment of three molecules per hexagonal ring. Pressure and temperature are the main deciding parameters for the overall storage capacity of hydrogen on a ZnO substrate. kMC simulations are performed to capture the stochastic behavior of surface dynamics of gas molecules. Adsorption energy and diffusion barrier are predicted to be around 50–60 meV and 4–12 meV, respectively, according to vdW-DFT calculations. kMC simulations with these energy parameters estimate the surface coverage of hydrogen to be pretty high below room temperature and high pressure. Furthermore, the hydrogen adsorption in the ZnO monolayer leads to the increase of the bandgap value, subsequently changing the conductivity of the material. The present research work sheds light on the usage of a ZnO monolayer for suitable hydrogen gas storage and sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optoelectronic synapses are inevitable for realizing neuromorphic vision systems, which require the integration of image recognition, memory and image processing into a single platform. In this work, we present a three terminal optoelectronic synapse created using zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film transistor. The persistent photoconductivity (PPC) of ZnO thin film is utilized to demonstrate the synaptic behavior. The change in conductance of the device under UV illumination has been interpreted as the weight change in the synapse. The basic synaptic functions such as sensory memory, short term memory, long term memory, duration-time-dependent plasticity and paired pulse facilitation (PPF) have been successfully demonstrated. The device shows a PPF index of 160%, comparable to other optoelectronic synapses reported in literature. Further, to corroborate the existing theory that PPC is caused by oxygen vacancies, additional characterizations are carried out and the presence of oxygen vacancies is detected in the fabricated ZnO device. Subsequently, pattern recognition of MNIST handwritten dataset has been performed using the conductance tuning curves of the proposed ZnO TFT based synapses in a neural network architecture, thereby demonstrating their feasibility to be used in neuromorphic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid and skillful detection of toxic gases is a crucial requirement for the advancement of gas sensors. In this study, we fabricated undoped and In-doped (1 %, 3 %, and 5 % by weight) ZnO films using a two-step modified SILAR deposition technique. The ethanol gas sensing properties of both undoped and In-doped ZnO films were examined across a range of operating temperatures (from room temperature, 27 °C–200 °C) and concentrations (1 ppm–50 ppm). Of all the films, those doped with 5 % Indium exhibited the most stable, reproducible, and highest response, achieving 86.27 % at 50 ppm ethanol at an operating temperature of 100 °C. Compared to the undoped ZnO films, all Indium-doped ZnO films demonstrated significantly shorter response times (17 s) and recovery times (19 s). The response of all the deposited films to various gases such as acetone, methanol, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde was lower than their response to ethanol. The mechanism behind the enhanced sensing characteristics of the Indium-doped ZnO films is explored. Additionally, the impact of humidity on sensor performance was investigated. This study reveals that 5 % In-doped ZnO films hold great potential as materials for ethanol gas sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites are rapidly evolving as a new generation of materials with attractive properties for electrochemical energy storage. Unfortunately, their practical applications in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) still require further research due to the unsatisfactory cycling stability and rate performance. This work explores using zinc antimony oxide/reduced graphene oxide (ZSO/rGO) hybrid nanocomposite as an anode material in SIBs. After 150 cycles at 0.05 A g−1, the ZSO/rGO electrode delivers a specific capacity of 357.21 mAh g−1 with a coulombic efficiency of 99.3 %, which is almost 2.5-fold higher than the specific capacity of the pristine ZSO electrode. An in-situ Raman spectroscopy study demonstrates that the sodiation/desodiation mechanism in the ZSO/rGO electrode involves the conversion and alloying reactions in the ZSO nanoparticles. Further electrochemistry analysis reveals that the nanocomposite anode shows synergistic effects by coupling diffusion and surface contribution, in which the latter plays an important role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 150-nm-thick Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films with various Al doping concentrations were deposited by atomic layer deposition technique to determine their applicability in transparent electronic devices. For incorporation into transparent electrodes, the electrical properties of AZO films must be modulated to minimize the parasitic effect. The results show that AZO thin films with various Al dopant concentrations had different work-functions and electrical contact properties, while the other physical characteristics were not significantly changed. Hence, AZO thin films can be used as transparent conducting oxide materials and are potential alternatives for the currently used indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmentation of optical and magnetic properties of ZnO system via mono- and co-doping is an efficient approach to achieve enhanced ferromagnetism and photocatalytic activity. In this scenario, we made an endeavor to prepare the nanocrystalline ZnO, ZnO:Eu, and ZnO:(Eu, Er) samples through a co-precipitation technique. Structural analysis ruled out the effectual substitution of Eu and Er in the ZnO lattice without disturbing the original structure. Both ZnO:Eu and ZnO:(Eu, Er) NPs exhibited lower optical band gap values than pure ZnO. In M − H studies at room temperature, ferromagnetic behavior was observed in ZnO, ZnO:Eu, and ZnO:(Eu, Er) NPs. Expectedly, ZnO:(Eu, Er) NPs showed highest H 2 evolution than both ZnO and ZnO:Eu NPs beneath solar spectrum. The possible roots behind the extended H 2 production are discussed in detail. Hence, ZnO:(Eu, Er) NPs may find in applications is photocatalysis and spintronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to investigate the structural, surface and particles properties of a series of zinc oxides (ZnO) doped with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) that were prepared using the sol-gel method. The results demonstrated that the crystallinity of the catalysts decreased as the PVA content increased beyond 5 PVA/ZnO. However, on raising the calcination temperature up to 500 °C, the average crystal size of the PVA/ZnO nanoparticles increased. Next Pyridine adsorption was used to measure the surface acidity of the catalysts, and the results showed that doping ZnO with PVA and raising the calcination temperature to 500 °C increased the catalyst's surface acidity. Furthermore, the data indicates that raising the ratio of the Brønsted to Lewis acid sites enhanced the catalytic activity for the synthesis of coumarin derivatives. We concluded that the structural and acidity characteristics of the catalysts under study had a significant impact on the catalytic activity. Furthermore, a study examining the biological activity of ZnO/PVA and pure ZnO revealed that 5PVA/ZnO performed the best in terms of improving the kidney functions of diabetic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we introduced ZnO through hydrothermal reaction to improve the breakdown strength and piezoelectric properties of potassium-sodium niobate (KNN) ceramics. The impact of ZnO synthesized at different reaction times on the structure, breakdown strength, dielectric performance, and piezoelectric performance of 0.9KNN-0.1ZnO ceramics was investigated. The findings reveal that the KNN ceramics incorporating ZnO exhibit a dense microstructure, reduced grain size, enhanced breakdown strength, and piezoelectric performance. Notably, the breakdown field strength of KNN-Z-3 ceramic significantly increased to 7.42 kV/mm, exhibiting an 80.98 % improvement compared to KNN ceramics (4.10 kV/mm). Furthermore, the d 33 value of the KNN-Z-3 ceramic also had a significant increase, reaching 104 pC/N, having a 30 % enhancement compared to KNN ceramics (80 pC/N). Such enhancement is ascribed to the increased piezoelectric response due to the stress bending between KNN and ZnO as well as adjacent domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO linear resistors, due to its excellent performance, are widely used in numerous industries and gradually replacing traditional conductive resistors, presenting a broad prospect for application. To study the effects of lanthanide oxides on the microstructure and electrical properties of ZnO-based linear resistors, this paper prepared Dy 2 O 3 -doped ZnO-Al 2 O 3 -TiO 2 -NiO based linear resistors using a solid-state sintering method. The results showed that proper doping of Dy 2 O 3 could inhibit the growth of ZnO grains, leading to more uniform grain growth. Additionally, doped with appropriate amount of Dy 2 O 3 could enhance the linear performance of ZnO linear resistors, reduce the grain boundary barrier height (φ b), and decrease dielectric loss. Linear resistors with nonlinearity coefficient (α) of 1.07, grain boundary barrier height (φ b) of 0.0934 eV and resistance-temperature coefficient (α T) of −5.39 × 10−3/°C were obtained. The doping of Dy 2 O 3 could improve the comprehensive performance of ZnO linear resistors, making the fabricated ZnO linear resistors are more suitable for working in high frequency electric fields. The study and analysis of Dy 2 O 3 doped ZnO linear resistors are of significant importance for the preparation of high performance ZnO linear resistors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper investigates the impact of loading nano-oxides of zinc and copper metal particles into a polyethersulfone (PES) matrix to enhance its structural and mechanical responses. The co-precipitation method was adopted for the synthesis of metallic oxides consisting of zinc and copper. The presence of strain in metallic oxide NPs illustrated in metallic oxide-loaded PES films arises due to the interaction between NPs and PES. As a result of NPs and PES interactions, the particle size of PES has also been increased in PES blended films. Furthermore, we observed that the mechanical properties of PES-loaded films have been improved as the tensile strength was increased from 2.63 to 5.65 MPa, Young's modulus was enhanced from 8.92 to 10.02 MPa by adding ZnO NPs, whereas the more prominent increase in mechanical properties has been noticed in case of CuO NPs loaded PES blended films. The present work suggested that the loading of nano-oxides in PES enhances the mechanical strength of PES, which may significantly contribute to the field of mechanical engineering as oil level indicators, part for miking machines, and automatic beverage dispensers and pumps. Employing solution casting methodology synthesized metallic oxide NPs were loaded in PES to prepare their blended films. Three major functional groups such as sulfone, benzene, and ether are present in PES, and metal–oxygen vibrational groups have been identified in all prepared polymeric composites by FTIR spectroscopy. The electron microscopy (FESEM) reveals that the oxides of zinc appeared in rod-like structures, copper oxide adopted spherical and rhombus shapes, whereas the composite blended sheets appeared smooth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, modification of regular masks using composite nanofibers containing porous nanostructures has been considered in order to increase their efficiency in dealing with new threats. For this purpose, polystyrene was used as a low-cost polymer to prepare nanofibers and modify the surface of the respirator mask. ZIF-8 nanostructures with different sizes (14, 23, 65,144, and 265 nm) and zinc oxide nanoparticles, with an approximate size of 36 nm, were added to polymer nanofibers.2-methyl imidazole and Zn(NO3)2 were used to synthesize nanostructures. Two different methods (injection and stabilization) were used to incorporate nanostructures into fibers. The percentage of ZIF-8 and ZnO nanostructures were 0.5 and 2 wt% respects to polystyrene, respectively. Synthesis reactions and preparation of fibrous filters were carried out at ambient temperature. FESEM, FTIR, EDAX, TGA, and XRD techniques were used to identify the prepared nanoparticles and fibers. To evaluate the performance of the modified filters, their efficiency in removing suspended particles below 2.5 microns as well as CO2, SO2 and NO2 gases was surveyed. The results showed that ZIF nanoparticles with arbitrary sizes have been synthesized and successfully stabilized on the surface of nanofibers. Modifying the surface of the commercial mask by electrospinning method resulted in forming a fibrous layer with an approximate diameter of 700 nm and the presence of stabilized nanostructures in both methods was confirmed using FESEM images. Adding the nanofibers to the surface of the filter significantly increased their efficiency in removing suspended particles and toxic gases. The optimized modified filter contained ZIF-8 with14nm dimension and could remove sub-micron particles, CO2, NO2, and SO2 gases by 99, 91, 87, and 86%, respectively, making it as effective as commercially available N-95 masks. Moreover, it was observed that the incorporation of nanostructures by the stabilization method was more effective in improving the filtering efficiency of the fibrous mask. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on high dielectric constant materials, such as zinc oxide (ZnO), has received significant attention due to their potential for modern microelectronics and high-density energy storage applications. However, the use of ZnO has been limited by its high dielectric loss. This study aims to reduce the dielectric loss of ZnO by investigating the effects of adding niobium oxide (Nb 2 O 5) on its electrical properties. Four compositions with varying amounts of Nb 2 O 5 (0, 0.5, 1, and 2wt%) were prepared. The disk samples were made via the pressing method and sintered at 1250 °C. In the sample with a high additive content, a secondary phase of ZnNb 2 O 6 was identified. The addition of Nb 2 O 5 resulted in substantial grain growth in the ZnO ceramic. The samples containing Nb 2 O 5 showed reduced electrical conductivity and increased electrical resistance. The sample with 2 wt% Nb 2 O 5 exhibited the lowest dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and electrical conductivity, along with the highest electrical resistance and ferromagnetic behavior. Particularly, this sample achieved an impressive dielectric constant of 52730 and a low dielectric loss of 0.32 at 1 kHz. This makes it a promising candidate for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium-doped zinc oxide thin films were dip-coated onto porous ceramic and glass substrates under identical conditions (50 layers, same doping ratio). Structural, morphological, and photocatalytic properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), UV–visible spectrophotometry, and confocal microscopy. XRD analysis indicated a shift in peak positions towards higher angles, increased grain size, and lattice distortion on both substrates. Unique flower-shaped crystalline granulates were observed exclusively on the ceramic substrate (DD3Z). The energy gap decreased on the ceramic and increased on the glass substrate. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated using an aqueous orange II solution, showing significantly higher decomposition (80 ± 0.53 % after 6 h) on the ceramic compared to the glass substrate (30 %). The enhanced performance on ceramic substrates, particularly with DD3+ZrO 2 , was attributed to increased microporosity, surface roughness, and active material incorporation, facilitating greater photocatalytic efficiency. The findings suggest promising applications of these materials for efficient and cost-effective photocatalysis, with potential for reuse after thermal treatment at 500 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a study of piezoelectric zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films deposited by a novel post‐reactive sputtering method. The process utilizes a rotating drum with DC magnetron sputtering deposition onto substrates with subsequent DC plasma‐assisted oxidation of the deposited metal to metal oxide. The paper analyzes the influence of plasmaassisted magnetron sputtering (PA‐MS) deposition parameters (O2 plasma source power, O2 flow, and Ar flow) on the morphological, structural, optical, and piezoelectric properties of ZnO thin films. Design of experiments has been utilized to evaluate the role of these parameters on the growth rate (rg) and the properties of resulting films. Results indicate a predominant influence of the plasma power on the rg over other parameters. Among the eight tested samples, three of them show high crystal quality with high intensity (0001) diffraction peak, characteristic of the wurtzite crystalline structure of ZnO, and one of them exhibits piezoelectric coefficient values of ≈11pC N−1. That sample corresponding to a ZnO film deposited at the lowest rg of 0.075 nm s−1, confirmed the key role of the deposition parameters on the piezoelectric response of films, and demonstrated PA‐MS as a promising technique to produce high‐quality piezoelectric thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of advanced materials has become imperative for addressing challenges in diverse fields, including healthcare and infection prevention. This research contributes to this domain by focusing on the synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of ZnO‐Ag nanocomposites and embedding them in PMMA matrix to obtain free‐standing flexible membrane with enhanced antibacterial potential and reusability of material. The study employs a solvothermal method for the decoration of silver nanoparticles onto zinc oxide nanorods, with the objective of harnessing the synergistic antibacterial properties of both materials. The study evaluates the antibacterial potential of the nanocomposites through well diffusion and growth kinetic assays, revealing their enhanced efficacy with a zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 21 ± 1.05 mm against Escherichia coli (E. coli). The implications of this research extend to the realm of biomedical applications, positioning the nanocomposite‐polymer membrane as promising candidates for infection prevention in healthcare premises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heteroatom doping of the ZnO electron injection layer (EIL) is widely applied to the fabrication of high‐performance quantum‐dot and perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs), while group‐VA atomic dopant is rarely studied. Here, VA bismuth (Bi) with strong metallicity is screened as a substitution dopant to regulate the colloid size, surface terminal, and defect density of the ZnO precursor. The as‐fabricated Bi‐doped ZnO (ZnBiO) EIL shows enhanced conductivity, passivated trap states, more n‐type nature, and appropriate band alignment with FAPbI3 (FA: formamidinium), contributing to smooth injection paths with minimal transport losses. Promoted by inhibited hydroxyl terminations of ZnBiO, the FAPbI3 crystals grown into flat nanocylinder domains with higher crystallinity and area‐thickness ratio, leading to a champion PeLED efficiency of 22.3%, a high near‐infrared radiance of 684 W sr−1 m−2, and nearly an order of magnitude extended operational stability, which shows great promise of ZnBiO as the optimal EIL for various LED application scenarios beyond classical ZnMgO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a straightforward strategy for achieving specific overheating during flash experiments by adjusting the initial electrical parameters. To do that, an extensive experimental analysis was performed to evaluate the temperature evolution of dense ZnO specimens during controlled‐current ramping at different furnace temperatures, which in turn modified the initial electrical resistance of the sample. A detailed electrical explanation of controlled‐current ramp flash processes is provided and, for the first time, a practical equivalence between current‐ramp and temperature‐ramp flash methodologies is established. By parameterizing the experiments in terms of an effective power density, a consistent heating pattern following the blackbody radiation trend was identified, despite the different electrical characteristics of each experiment. Finally, a “flash heating map” is introduced, which can be used to determine the starting electrical parameters necessary to achieve a specific temperature increase, whether employing current or temperature ramps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights The potential of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) products as surgical dressings is considerable, yet their absence of antibacterial properties substantially restricts their medical applications. To enhance the utility of PTFE in the medical sector, this research loaded nano zinc oxide (ZnO) particles into the PTFE filament matrix through a wet spinning process. This approach successfully yielded PTFE/ZnO composite filaments with antibacterial properties. The characterization results of the filaments show that when the mass ratio of PTFE to ZnO is 8:1, the filament has the best mechanical performance with a tensile strength of 6.78 MPa and an elongation at break of 274.46%. At the same time, composite antibacterial filaments under different process conditions show excellent antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), with an antibacterial rate of over 99%. The excellent mechanical properties ensure the ability to further process single filaments, which can be woven into fabrics, textiles, and various other products. Therefore, the composite antibacterial filaments with excellent comprehensive performance prepared in this study are expected to be applied in the field of medical fabrics. Provide new solution ideas for functional PTFE composite filaments preparation. The prepared PTFE/ZnO composite filament has good acid and alkali resistance as well as excellent antibacterial properties, which is expected to broaden the application field of PTFE filaments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to enhance the piezocatalytic activity of ZnO by modifying it with a thin carbon layer (TCL). The composite catalysts were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method. The tightly adhered TCL served as an effective electron transfer medium, enabling the rapid migration of piezoinduced charge carriers from the ZnO to the catalyst surface, thereby facilitating the catalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). The optimized TCL/ZnO sample exhibits an RhB degradation rate 13.4 times higher than that of pure ZnO. This work demonstrates that TCL/ZnO has significant potential in piezocatalytic water purification and offers new insights into the design of efficient piezocatalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorine-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:F) thin films are valued for their potential as transparent conductive materials, particularly in optoelectronic applications. In this work, the deposition of highly conductive and transparent fluorine-doped ZnO thin films, deposited by chemical spray on glass substrates is reported. The effect of acetic (AcAc) in the initial fresh solution on Haacke's Figure of Merit (Φ) of both zinc oxide (ZnO) and fluorine-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:F) thin films was studied. The substrate temperature was fixed to 450°C, and two deposition times (8 and 14 min) were tested. Accordingly, the optical and transport properties, as well as the structural and morphological characteristics of the films were measured. The results indicate that the samples are polycrystalline in all cases and exhibit a wurtzite-type structure of ZnO. The variation of AcAc in the starting solution causes a switch in preferential growth from (002) to (001). As the AcAc content increases, the surface morphology of the films reveals the formation of well-defined hexagonal grains, and the grain size increases. Conversely, the transmittance decreases as the acetic acid increases, which can attributed to carbon incorporation into the film. In addition, the band gap values of the films varied from 3.2 to 3.4 eV. Also, as the acetic acid concentration increased, a drop in the electrical resistivity of ZnO thin films on the order of 0.016 Ω ⋅ cm was found for the ZnO:F films deposited with fresh solution for 14 min. This can be ascribed to a dense acetic cloud formed during the synthesis process, trapping volatile F species that incorporate into the ZnO lattice. This enhances Haacke's Figure of Merit of ZnO:F films deposited with a fresh solution, demonstrating their potential use for application as transparent conductive films. This contrasts with other synthesis methods that require longer aging time in the precursor solution, making these findings useful for large-scale and more efficient production of transparent conductive films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that zinc oxide (ZnO) is recognized as a highly effective and stable inorganic antibacterial material. The dispersibility and microstructure of ZnO play crucial roles in determining its antibacterial activity. In this investigation, we successfully synthesized ZnO nanoparticles with exceptional dispersibility and potent antibacterial properties through ultrasonic sonication, utilizing sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, and sodium polyacrylate as effective dispersants. To comprehensively assess the impact of these dispersants on the structure and morphology of the ZnO nanoparticles, various characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy imaging, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, UV‒Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and zeta potential analysis, were employed. The average particle sizes calculated for ZnO-SHMP, ZnO-SDBS, and ZnO-PAAS are approximately 300 nm. The zeta potential of ZnO-SHMP, ZnO-SDBS, and ZnO-PAAS are − 18.67, -12.77, and − 16.77 mV, which is significantly lower than that of the pristine ZnO (-2.01 mV). Our findings demonstrate that the addition of dispersants significantly enhances the dispersibility of ZnO nanoparticles while also improving their antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) by achieving an antibacterial rate exceeding 99%. It's observed that the introduction of dispersants led to morphological changes in the ZnO particles, contributing to their enhanced antibacterial activity. Compared with dark conditions, particularly under fluorescent lamp irradiation, superior antibacterial effects were achieved. Mechanistically, our findings suggest that the synergistic effect of the ZnO-bacteria interaction, along with soluble Zn2+ ions and the generation of reactive oxygen species, accounts for the observed antibacterial efficacy. The average contents of ZnO-PAAS released Zn2+ in the liquid culture media of E. coli and S. aureus were 27.5 mg/L and 41.1 mg/L, respectively, higher than that of the pristine ZnO. The incorporation of ZnO, which is prepared with a dispersant, into waterborne paint yields a pronounced antibacterial effect, rendering it highly promising for practical applications such as antibacterial coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, modified nano zinc oxide (ZnO)‐reinforced polymer‐supported novel thermally enhanced form‐stable composite phase change materials (PCMs) are presented, which are prepared via water in oil emulsion polymerization and following impregnation process steps. First, ZnO nanoparticles are modified with oleic acid (OA) to obtain lipophilic structures for emulsion stability, which are designed to take a role as a heat transfer activator. To ensure the shape stabilization of n‐hexadecane used as organic PCM, polymeric support materials are synthesized in the presence of modified ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO@OA). The polymeric frameworks exhibit open porous morphology, and the thermal stability of the support matrix improves with the addition of ZnO nanofiller. In the second step, composite PCMs are prepared by incorporation of n‐hexadecane with the solvent‐assisted vacuum impregnation method into polymer composites. The 1.0% ZnO@OA incorporated composite PCM has the highest incorporation ratio and exhibits a thermal storage capability (η) of 100%. According to the T‐history and thermal conductivity tests, it is observed that the heat conduction rate is enhanced with the addition of ZnO@OA nanofiller. The conclusion is that the obtained ZnO@OA integrated composite PCMs have a remarkable potential for latent heat storage applications requiring low temperature in the range of 5–25 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selaginella willdenowii, a commonly used greenhouse fern, was often used as a biowaste to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in an eco-friendly and cost-effective way. UV–Visible spectra studies were carried out to confirm the synthesis of S. willdenowii-mediated ZnO NPs (SW-ZnO NPs), and a peak at 367 nm with a sharp band gap of 3.415 eV was observed. The X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the crystalline size of the synthesized SW-ZnO NPs was 11.971 nm. The phytochemicals present in the extracts and the compounds involved in the reduction of metal to nanoparticles were determined by Fourier Transform Infrared analysis. Scanning electron microscopy was utilized to analyze the surface morphology and size of the obtained SW-ZnO NPs. The examination revealed that they exhibited a hexagonal shape, with an average size falling within the range of 17–23 nm. Under ultra-violet light, reactive blue 220 and reactive yellow 145 dyes showed 78.06% and 60.14% degradation, showing potential photocatalytic degradation activity. The synthesized SW-ZnO NPs also exhibited antimicrobial activity against bacterial strains (Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis) and fungal cultures (Candida tropicalis and Candida albicans) showed cytotoxic activity against Hep-G2 cell lines. Our results suggest the green synthesized SW-ZnO NPs have potential photocatalytic, antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized in an eco-friendly and cost-effective way using Selaginella willdenowii. These nanoparticles showed multi-faceted environmental and biomedical applications especially photocatalytic potential for textile dye degradation, antimicrobial activity against tested bacterial and fungal strains, and anti-cancer properties against Hep-G2 cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO nanoparticles functionalized with APTES were obtained to evaluate their CH4 and CO2 adsorption at 298 K in a range between 0 and 10 bar. First, ZnO nanoparticles were obtained by a precipitation method and subsequently coated with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). As a preliminary study, the results were compared with previously reported naked nanoparticles in order to evaluate the influence of APTES coating on CO2 selectivity. UV-Vis, FT-IR spectroscopy, TGA, XRD, TEM/EDX, XPS and N2 adsorption at 77 K were used to characterize the evaluated material. It was observed that the amount of gas adsorbed on the surface of the nanostructure was very small in comparison with other materials traditionally used for this purpose but slightly higher than those obtained in naked nanoparticles evaluated in previous studies. The affinity of CO2 for the amines groups of the APTES ligand was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan (Ch), a natural polysaccharide, is known for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and various beneficial properties, including antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The objective of this study is to investigate the functionalization of zinc oxide (ZnO) with chitosan to develop a novel ZnO@Ch adduct for use in cosmetic formulations, specifically as a sun protection agent. The functionalization was achieved through ionotropic gelation, which enhanced the stability and reduced the photocatalytic activity of ZnO, thereby improving its safety profile for skin applications. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the successful functionalization, while TGA and DSC characterized the thermal properties and stability. The Zeta potential and particle size analyses demonstrated improved stability of ZnO@Ch across various pH levels compared to uncoated ZnO. The structure of the obtained adduct was also confirmed by SEM analysis. The ZnO@Ch adduct exhibited enhanced stability at neutral and slightly alkaline pH values, reduced photocatalytic activity compared to pure ZnO, and had lower cytotoxicity in 3T3 cells compared to pure ZnO, particularly at higher concentrations. The ZnO@Ch adduct provided a higher Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and UVA Protection Factor (UVA-PF) than pure ZnO, indicating enhanced UV protection. The adduct's ability to provide higher SPF at lower ZnO concentrations offers economic and environmental benefits, aligning with sustainable product design principles. Future studies will focus on optimizing the formulation and testing the efficacy and safety at higher concentrations to fully realize its potential as a natural, eco-friendly sunscreen ingredient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since Charles Goodyear discovered the method of sulfur curing Natural Rubber in 1839, many studies have been carried out to understand its mechanism. Currently, the broadly accepted mechanism includes an activated accelerator complex formed by Zinc oxide, stearic acid, accelerators and sulfur. Furthermore, it is also broadly accepted that the coupling of the sulfur to the polymer takes place in the allylic position to the double bond. Modern passenger car tire treads no longer contain Natural Rubber but instead a blend of Solution Styrene Butadiene Rubber and Butadiene Rubber, filled with a silica/silane system. Is it possible to transfer all the gained knowledge from the Natural Rubber crosslink reaction to such modern passenger car tire tread formulations, or is it required to "re-think" sulfur curing? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethyl acetate is a critical medical indicator for detecting certain types of cancer. However, at present, available sensitive materials often exhibit drawbacks, such as high operating temperatures and poor responses to low concentrations of ethyl acetate. In this study, a ZnO nanorod sensing material was prepared using high-temperature annealing and a hydrothermally synthesized metal-organic framework (MOF) as a template. Au nanodots (AuNDs) were subsequently modified on the ZnO nanorods using an in situ ion reduction, which provided a better dispersion of Au nanodots compared with that obtained using the common reductant method. A variety of characterization methods indicate that the highly dispersed AuNDs, which possess a high catalytic activity, were loaded onto the surface as active centers, leading to a significant augmentation in the adsorption of oxygen on the surface compared with the original ZnO material. Consequently, the AuND@ZnO material exhibited heightened responsiveness to ethyl acetate at a lower operating temperature. The Au@ZnO-based sensor has a response rate (Ra/Rg) of 41.8 to 20 ppm ethyl acetate gas at 140 °C, marking a 17.4-fold increase compared with that of the original material. Due to its low power consumption and high responsiveness, AuND@ZnO is a promising candidate for the detection of ethyl acetate gas in medical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic properties of intrinsic ZnO, N‐doped ZnO, and Al–N‐codoped ZnO of both hexagonal wurtzite (HW) and zincblende (ZB) structures are investigated by first‐principles calculations. Both N‐doped ZB‐ZnO and N‐doped HW‐ZnO achieve p‐type transition by the introduction of N‐2p states, forming shallow acceptor levels above the valence band. However, the positive impurity formation energy implies the difficulty and instability of N‐doped ZnO. In Al–N‐codoped ZnO, the Al elements compensate the p‐type doping effect, but partially enhance the solubility of N. Furthermore, the comparison of the electronic properties between HW‐ZnO and ZB‐ZnO indicates that the ZB structure favors the achieving of p‐type doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enhanced thermal and chemical stability of Zinc oxide-based materials make them excellent candidates for the removal of odor-producing pollutants and compounds. The zinc salt of ricinoleic acid, commonly known as zinc ricinoleate, is viewed as the top performer. This article describes an innovative two-step synthesis of zinc ricinoleate, where the first step consists of the preparation of an intermediate compound, methyl ricinoleate, which is synthesized via transesterification of castor oil with methanol and catalyzed by sodium hydroxide. The second step comprises the preparation of zinc ricinoleate through the saponification of methyl ricinoleate in the presence of zinc oxide particles. XRD, FTIR, and NMR spectroscopies confirmed the synthesis of methyl ricinoleate and zinc ricinoleate. HR-SEM and AFM images showed the formation of larger particles, while the thermal stability of the materials was confirmed by TGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3D-printable polymer can provide an effective solution for developing piezoelectric structures. However, their nanocomposite formulation and 3D printing processability must be optimized for fabricating complex geometries with high printability. In the present study, we optimized the 3D-printable piezoelectric composite formulation for developing complex geometries by an additive manufacturing approach. The zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterial was synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The ZnO loading in the 3D-printed flexible resin was optimized to exhibit good interfacial adhesion and enable 3D printing. The lattice structure was fabricated to improve the piezoelectric response compared with the solid structure. The lattice structure block printed with 10 wt% ZnO showed a good piezoelectric response, with a linear increase in the generated output voltage for an increase in force. The maximum power density of 0.065 μW/cm2 was obtained under 12 N force at 1 Hz. The fabricated structure generated a peak–peak voltage of ~3 V with a foot heel strike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One‐dimensional zinc oxide nanomaterials (1DZnO) have emerged as promising, cost‐effective nanoplatforms with adjustable properties suitable for electrochemical and optical biosensing applications. In this work, modifications in the inherent photoluminescent response of 1DZnO are harnessed to develop a novel immunosensor tailored for detecting enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. This nanobiosensor demonstrates a modulation in photoluminescence signal, effectively responsive to analyte concentrations ranging from 1 × 102 to 1 × 108 CFU mL−1, with direct visualization of targeted bacterial cells over 1DZnO structures through scanning electron microscopy. The conceptualization of this nanobiosensor is focused on a real‐time contact strategy that can significantly reduce processing and response times for pathogen detection, prospected for emergency scenarios. With this aim, the detection process unfolds in real time, with a mere 5–10 s interaction time, corroborated by the standard polymerase chain reaction approach. This synergistic validation underscores the reliability and precision of the developed biosensor. Notably, the utility of 1DZnO nanoplatforms extends beyond the realm of enteropathogenic E. coli, as the biosensing performance exhibited here holds promise for analogous applications involving other medically pertinent pathogens. This study paves the way for the broader implementation of 1DZnO‐based biosensors in medical diagnostics, offering rapid, sensitive, and real‐time detection capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dry reforming of CH4 (with CO2) at 800 °C under 1 MPa to synthesis gas and the synthesis of dimethyl ether (DME) from synthesis gas were combined. A Ni/(MgO)3·Al2O3 catalyst derived from Mg3Ni3Al2(OH)16CO3·xH2O hydrotalcite precursor showed a CH4 conversion of 85.4% after 5 min on stream for the dry reforming. The CH4 conversion decreased to 70.1% after 15 h on stream because the carbonaceous deposit formed during the reaction covered the active sites of Ni/(MgO)3·Al2O3 catalyst. The deactivated Ni/(MgO)3·Al2O3 catalyst was refreshed by calcining in air at 800 °C and subsequently reducing in H2. A mechanical mixed catalyst containing Cu/(ZnO)3·Al2O3 and Cs2.5H0.5PW12O40 (denoted as Cu/(ZnO)3·Al2O3 + Cs2.5) was used for the DME synthesis from syngas. Cu/(ZnO)3·Al2O3 + Cs2.5 showed a CO conversion of 38.5% and a DME selectivity of 63.8% at 260 °C under 1 MPa. A stable activity of Cu/(ZnO)3·Al2O3 + Cs2.5 had been maintained over 30 h in the DME synthesis. A two-stage process was designed for the DME synthesis from CH4 and CO2. Two fixed-bed reactors filled with Ni/(MgO)3·Al2O3 were connected in parallel (switching between reaction and refresh) for the CH4 dry reforming. A fixed-bed reactor filled with Cu/(ZnO)3·Al2O3 + Cs2.5 was connected in series with the two reactors filled with Ni/(MgO)3·Al2O3 to produce DME. The conversion of CH4 was kept at above 80% and the yield of DME was kept at above 20% after 30 h on stream for the DME synthesis from CH4 and CO2. A two-step process combining CH4 dry reforming to syngas and DME synthesis from syngas was designed for the DME synthesis from CH4 and CO2. The conversion of CH4 was kept at above 80% and the yield of DME was kept at above 20% after 30 h on stream in the two-stage process [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the cellulose/zinc oxide hybrid aerogel (CA/ZnO) was successfully synthesized via different as-prepared methods. The obtained ZnO structure in CA/ZnO hybrid aerogel indicated porous hemispherical structures, cone-like, nanorod (rice grain-like shape), and flower-like morphologies. The different created structure for the as-prepared samples may be due to the different growth of zinc oxide under synthesis conditions.The as-synthesized samples were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), UV-Vis spectroscopy. Then, their effect on the removal efficiency of methyl orange (MO) solution was investigated under UV light irradiation. The BET analysis revealed that specific surface area of the as-prepared samples with using different methods was in the range of 43.70–352.82 m2/g. The obtained results indicated that the morphology of CA/ZnO hybrid aerogel plays a significant role in the photodegradation performance of MO. Among all as-prepared samples with different morphologies, the plate-like structure of ZnO demonstrated the maximum removal efficiency of MO (94.78%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]