Synthesis, structural characterization and photoluminescent properties of mesoporous ZnO by direct precipitation with lignin-phosphate quaternary ammonium salt

The surfactant of lignin-phosphate quaternary ammonium salt (LPQAS) has been synthesized from chemical conversion of the alkali lignin that is a byproduct of the pulp industry. Using this lignin-based LPQAS, the wurtzite-structure ZnO crystals with plenty of mesopores can be prepared through one step reaction in aqueous solution. These fine hexagonal ZnO particles have been confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and their diameters have been calculated to be within 20 and 40 nm using the Debye–Scherrer equation. It is shown from our SEM results that the mole ratio of Zn2+ and OH− ions affects the morphology of ZnO. And at a mole ratio of 1:10 for the Zn2+ and OH− ions, the flower-like ZnO nanomaterials were obtained. Both TEM and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) determinations reveal that as-prepared ZnO crystallites contain abundant mesoporous structures. A possible formation mechanism of these mesoporous ZnO crystallites has been proposed in this work. Finally, photoluminescent spectra of the synthesized ZnO were measured at room temperature, exhibiting two characteristic bands of typical ZnO materials at 383 nm (sharp) and in the range of 480–600 nm (broad).

► Lignin used in the synthesis is recovered from the pulping black liquor.
► After modification, lignin was applied to fabricate ZnO.
► ZnO was prepared by direct precipitation without sintering.
► The synthesized ZnO nanocrystallites show a hexagonal wurtzite structure.
► There are an abundance of mesopores on prepared ZnO.