Ligand-assisted morphological control of ZnO for photocatalytic wastewater treatment

GÜLTEPE O., ATAY F.

Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing, vol.131, no.11, 2025 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 131 Issue: 11
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s00339-025-09026-4
  • Journal Name: Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aerospace Database, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, INSPEC, Metadex
  • Keywords: AFM-UV, Capping agent, Hydrothermal, Photoactivity, ZnO nanostructure
  • Eskisehir Osmangazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

ZnO nanomaterials were synthesized using hexylamine and hexamine as the primary ligand and capping agent, respectively, in a novel combination. These organic molecules exhibited dual functionality by directing ZnO morphology towards columnar structures and grains. Using 100% hexamine introduced ~ 2.5 eV trap states, extending ZnO absorption into the visible region. Photoluminescence analysis demonstrated that intrinsic and HMTA-induced defect states critically govern the emission properties of ZnO nanomaterials. ZnO samples synthesized with varying hexylamine/hexamine ratios exhibited high photocatalytic degradation efficiencies (97.9% under UV and 72.4% under visible light) and retained both optical stability and photocatalytic performance after four cycles, while undergoing ligand-dependent surface reconstruction. In conclusion, ligand engineering offers a green and scalable approach for fabricating visible-light-responsive ZnO photocatalysts as an effective alternative to conventional doping or heterostructure strategies.