Optical and photocatalytic properties of nanoparticulate (TiO2)x(ZnO)1−x powders

In this study, we have investigated the optical and photocatalytic properties of nanoparticulate (TiO2)x(ZnO)1−x powders that were synthesised by mechanochemical processing. The objective was to establish the suitability of these powders for use as optically transparent ultraviolet light screening agents. It was found that the photocatalytic activity of single phase ZnO can be substantially reduced through the incorporation of TiO2 at the cost of a comparatively minor decrease in optical transparency. The composition given by (TiO2)0.10(ZnO)0.90 was characterised by a photocatalytic activity that was approximately 20% of that exhibited by the ZnO powder synthesised using similar processing conditions. These results demonstrate that (TiO2)x(ZnO)1−x powders synthesised by mechanochemical processing are potentially useful as optically transparent ultraviolet light screening agents.