Abstract
This work addresses the production of stand-alone ceramic nanotubes by the template-based ALD method at low temperature. Nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were coated with ZnO. Afterward, the template removal was evaluated by two different approaches: using oxidation in dry air or in an ozone-rich atmosphere. The samples treated by the two different methods were analyzed by XRD, TEM, SAED, and Raman spectroscopy. The dry air atmosphere requires high temperatures (~ 700 °C) for a complete CNT removal; at that temperature, the ZnO tubular shape is completely collapsed due to recrystallization. Under ozone atmosphere, the template can be removed at temperatures as low as 85 °C; this temperature is lower than the ALD preparation temperature (120 °C). The ozone treatment maintains the tubular shape of the ZnO nanostructures. Photocatalytic activity of the ZnO samples was evaluated using the photo-oxidation of Amaranth as probe reaction, showing a higher activity the ZnO nanotubes obtained from the low-temperature ozone treatment than the high-temperature processed materials. The use of ozone for the template removal reinforces the template-based ALD method to produce inorganic nanotubes.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Francisco Ruiz, Jaime Mendoza, Jesus A. Diaz, Israel Gradilla, E. Murillo, P. Piza, and Eloisa Aparicio for the technical assistance.
Funding
This work was supported by UNAM-DGAPA-PAPIME PE100318, PE101317 and UNAM-DGAPA-PAPIIT IA 101018, IN 112117, IN 110018, and IA 103117 projects as well as by Conacyt through Fordecyt 272894 project.
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Dominguez, D., Romo-Herrera, J.M., Solorio, F. et al. Low-temperature ozone treatment for carbon nanotube template removal: improving the template-based ALD method. J Nanopart Res 20, 246 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-018-4348-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-018-4348-6