Photocatalytic degradation of textile dye by well-aligned arrays of vertically oriented ZnO nanorod films

In the present study,a hydrothermal method to synthesize ZnO nanorod coatings was used as well-aligned on glass substrates for photocatalytic decolorization of textile dye. The photocatalytic properties of this film toward Light Yellow X6G (C.I. Reactive Yellow 2) degradation were investigated and compared with ZnO seed layer/glass substrate thin film. A two-step approach was employed for the epitaxial growth of ZnO. First a ZnO seed layer was prepared by spin-coating process and then ZnO nanorods were deposited on it. The deposition process was accomplished for 2, 4 and 8 hours at 95 C. The surface morphology and topography of the seed layers were studied using SEM analyses.Evaluation of the films as potential photocatalyst for water pollutant purification was based on the degradation of a model azo dye, Light Yellow X6G.