Influence of solvent in the synthesis of nano-structured ZnO by hydrothermal method and their application in solar-still. Issue 1 (February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Saleh, Sayed M.; Soliman, Ahmed M.; Sharaf, Mohamed A.; Kale, Vishal; Gadgil, Bhushan
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental chemical engineering. Volume 5:Issue 1(2017:Mar.)
• Page Start: 1219
• Page End: 1226
• Publication Date: 2017-02
• Subjects: ZnO -- Nanoparticles -- Hydrothermal method -- Solvent effect -- Solar still; Chemical engineering -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Chemical engineering -- Environmental aspects; Environmental engineering; Periodicals; 660.0286
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2017.02.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2213-2929

Abstract

Graphical abstract: ZnO NPs were synthesized by hydrothermal process varying the solvent type from methanol to ethylene glycol. The two types of NPs were utilized to increase the still efficiency by 38% and 30% in case of nano-rod and nano-sphere respectively. Highlights: ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using Hydrothermal method. Solvent effect on the size and morphology of the nanoparticles was studied. As an important application, the synthesized ZnO nanomaterial was used in solar still. The effect of ZnO nonmaterial concentration on the performance of the solar still was investigated. Abstract: This article presents a novel work related to synthesis and utilize ZnO nanoparticles to enhance solar still distillation productivity. The hydrothermal synthesis method based on using different solvents such as methanol and ethylene glycol was used in the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles. The resulting oxide nanomaterials nano-rod (100 nm length, 10–15 nm diameter) and nano-sphere (250 nm diameter) were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The analyses show that the solvent controlled the size and morphology of the produced nano-particles. The synthesized ZnO nonmaterial is used as an important application for solar still. The effect of ZnO nonmaterial shape and its concentration on the performance of the solar still were investigated. The results showed a great effect of the nanomaterials on the performance of the solar still. Results reveal that nano-rod shape achieves range of 30% and 38% of increase in solar still productivity and efficiency respectively compared against the nano-sphere shape.