ZnO/ITO interface nanostructure films for the photocatalytic degradation of a textile dye

Abstract

We have produced zinc oxide (ZnO) photocatalyst nanostructure films by the deposition of ZnO onto indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates. A polyethylene glycol (PEG) aided sol-gel route using zinc acetate, 2-methoxyethanol and monoethanolamine, followed by spin coating and heat treatment, was utilized to form these photocatalyst films. The obtained interface nanostructure films were characterized with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the films were also investigated using Direct Sky Blue 5B (C. I. Direct Blue 15) as a model organic compound under UV light irradiation. The influence of operating parameters, including the pH of the solution and the number of ZnO layers on Direct Sky Blue 5B degradation, were examined. An interesting decolorization performance was observed in the ZnO/ITO thin films produced using 2 % PEG. © 2012 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary.