Enhanced Nanostructured ZnO-Based Photocatalyst Immobilized by Ink-Jet Printing for Methylene Blue Degradation

Exploring facile fabrication methods for stable, ordered-structure photocatalysts with high performance is critical to realize their practical applications. In this work, a ZnO-based photocatalyst was deposited using a solution-processing ink-jet printing technique. Novel water-based inks were developed with pure ZnO and Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles, which were synthesized by the polyacrylamide gel method and then modified by polyethylene glycol. The influence of organic solvents, surfactants, and polymers on the surface tension and viscosity of the inks was investigated using an orthogonal experimental design. The printed films annealed at low temperatures exhibited low resistance and high photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methylene blue. These results indicated that ink-jet printed Mg-doped ZnO photocatalyst thin film is promising as a feasible candidate for treating organic pollutants in waste water.