ABSTRACT
Herein, we present a novel approach for the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using a non-thermal plasma source generated by the gliding arc discharge-air system. The effect of discharge time on the physical and optical properties, as well as the photocatalytic performance of the as-fabricated ZnO NPs, was investigated. The characterization techniques revealed that the as-synthesized ZnO exhibit hexagonal Wurtzite structure, with a wide energy gap and peak intensities of UV-vis absorption with longer discharge times. A decrease in particle size from 29 to 25 nm was also observed with increasing discharge time, while all samples were thermally stable between 25 and 700 °C. The photocatalytic performance of the ZnO NPs was evaluated by degrading Congo Red (CR) dye with a concentration of 20 ppm under sunlight at a dose of 1 mg/mL. The as-synthesized ZnO NPs revealed exceptional photocatalytic performance by degrading ~ 97% of CR dye after irradiation for 150 min. This work presents an easy and simple method for synthesizing NPs in a short time and pave the way for other potential ideas on the application of plasma gliding arc discharge.
