Morphological reform of ZnO particles induced by coupling with MOx (M=V,W,Ce) and the effects on photocatalytic activity

Morphological reform of originally prismatic ZnO particles was observed during the coupling process with MOx (M=V,W,Ce) precursor by impregnation. The prismatic morphology of ZnO particles transferred to sheet shape morphology during coupling with vanadium oxide, and to rod-like shape morphology during coupling with cesium oxide, however, no change was observed when ZnO was coupled with tungsten oxide. Photocatalytic test indicated that the photocatalytic activity of ZnO was enhanced by coupling with vanadium or tungsten oxide, while suppressed by cesium oxide. VOx-ZnO composite sheets demonstrated the highest photocatalytic activity for acetaldehyde decomposition, being higher than that of commercial P 25.