Sonochemical Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Activity of Perovskite ZnTiO3 Nanopowders

Perovskite zinc titanate (ZnTiO₃) nanopowders were synthesized using the sonochemical method combined with calcinations at 500 °C and 900 °C for 2 h to improve their crystallinity. The effect of calcination temperature on their structural, optical, and photocatalytic properties has been studied. The cubic phase and the mixing phase of cubic and hexagonal were observed in sample calcined at 600 °C and 700 °C, respectively, while the spinel ZnTiO₃ and rutile TiO₂ phase arises in sample calcined over 700 °C. The valence state was investigated by the X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy technique, and the corresponding results indicate the existence of Zn²⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ in the powders. The chemical states of the samples were scrutinized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The average particle size is approximately 20-240 nm. The excellent photocatalytic performance of ZnTiO₃ nanoparticle calcined at 700 °C gave complete degradation Rhodamine B (RhB) in 75 min under ultraviolet light exposure with the k rate of 0.033 min^-1 and 55% of decolorization RhB in 210 min under visible irradiation. The sample calcined at 700 °C ensures a good dielectric permittivity with a value 20 and the loss tangent of about 10^-2.