Photoluminescence properties and photocatalytic activities of zirconia nanotube arrays fabricated by anodization

摘要

Highly ordered ZrO_2 nanotube arrays have been fabricated by anodization at different voltages between 20-50 V. Photoluminescence of the as-prepared freestanding ZrO_2 membrane were tested and photocatalytic activities of ZrO_2 nanotube arrays were characterized by quantifying the degradation of methyl orange dye solution. It was found that the as-prepared samples exhibited two types of photoluminescence peaks, one is stable peaks and another is unstable peaks which shift with the excitation wavelength. In the samples annealed at 400 ℃, only stable peaks are presented. The decolorization percentage decreases with a higher solution concentration, while increases with a larger diameter of ZrO_2 nanotubes.