The TiO2-ZnO Systems with Multifunctional Applications in Photoactive Processes—Efficient Photocatalyst under UV-LED Light and Electrode Materials in DSSCs

Abstract

The main goal of the study was the hydrothermal-assisted synthesis of TiO₂-ZnO systems and their subsequent use in photoactive processes. Additionally, an important objective was to propose a method for synthesizing TiO₂-ZnO systems enabling the control of crystallinity and morphology through epitaxial growth of ZnO nanowires. Based on the results of X-ray diffraction analysis, in the case of materials containing a small addition of ZnO (≥5 wt.%), no crystalline phase of wurtzite was observed, proving that a high amount of modified titanium dioxide can inhibit the crystallization of ZnO. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results confirmed the formation of ZnO nanowires for systems containing ≥ 5% ZnO. Moreover, for the synthesized systems, there were no significant changes in the band gap energy. One of the primary purposes of this study was to test the TiO₂-ZnO system in the photodegradation process of 4-chlorophenol using low-power UV-LED lamps. The results of photo-oxidation studies showed that the obtained binary systems exhibit good photodegradation and mineralization efficiency. Additionally, it was also pointed out that the dye-sensitized solar cells can be a second application for the synthesized TiO₂-ZnO binary systems.