Synthesis of ZnO/CNT Nanocomposite by Microwave and Ultrasound Assisted Two Step Process

Metal oxide-carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocompos-ites have gained great research interest due to its wide applications in many areas. ZnO is a widely accepted metal oxide with reliable optoelectronic properties. The nanocomposites of ZnO embedded on multiwall carbon nanotubes have proved as a boon to the emerging nanostructure based electronic devices. A 3:1 nanocomposite of ZnO-CNT synthesized by microwave irradiation and sonication assisted two step method is discussed in this paper. Most of the other synthesis methods such as sol-gel method, co-precipitation method and hydro thermal methods involve the use of more toxic reagents, expensive equipments, high pressure requirements and long reaction periods. The microwave and ultrasound assisted two-step process is a more effective method for the synthesis of ZnO/CNT nanocomposite which can meet both economic and industrial needs. CNTs are functionalized and microwave irradiated for enhancement before sonication so as to obtain well defined nanocomposite. The introduction of microwave irradiation in the synthesis process ensures the production of improved and high purity nanocrystallite particles of CNTs coated with ZnO nanoparticles. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) results confirm the nanosize of the synthesized composite which is nearly 30nm. The results also clearly depict that the CNTs are coated with a layer of ZnO nanoparticles. The characterization studies have revealed that ZnO/CNT nanocomposite possess the properties which make it a better candidate for various applications such as photocatalytic dye degradation and water splitting, solar cells, sensors and energy storage materials due to its improved morphological and optical characteristics.