Large scale preparing carbon nanotube/zinc oxide hybrid and its application for highly reusable photocatalyst

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/zinc oxide (ZnO) hybrid were large scale synthesized by the reflux method in ethylene glycol with the aid of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVP). The MWCNT/ZnO hybrid was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy spectra (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), which have indicated uniform hybrid structure of 18 nm diameter ZnO coating on MWCNT surface. The photocatalytic performance of ZnO nanoparticles and the MWCNT/ZnO hybrid were investigated by removal of methylene blue. Consistent with the shift of its UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) to shorter wavelengths, the heterostructure of MWCNT/ZnO hybrid induces an improvement in photocatalytic performance. The stability of the hybrid was characterized through cyclic photocatalytic test. Results indicated no observable performance degradation for MWCNT/ZnO photocatalyst even after ten recycles.

► Hybrid multi-walled carbon nanotube/zinc oxide were large scale synthesized.
► The samples are very pure.
► Multi-walled carbon nanotube is a perfect photosensitizer.
► MWCNT/ZnO can be used even after ten recycles.