Construction of (001) facets exposed ZnO nanosheets on magnetically driven cilia film for highly active photocatalysis

Abstract ZnO nanosheet arrays with exposed (001) facets have been constructed onto a biomimetic inner-motile film, using a seed-mediated hydrothermal growth technology without adding capping agents. The growth of ZnO nanoparticles along the [001] direction is impeded because of a physical steric hindrance, and therefore (001) planes are left behind as the dominant crystal facets. In comparison to ZnO nanorod arrays film, the photocatalytic activity of the actuated (001) facets exposed ZnO nanosheet arrays film is dramatically improved to approximately 2.48 times. Moreover, when it is subjected to a rotational magnetic field, the ZnO nanosheet arrays film is driven to mimic ciliary motion like nature beating cilia, which can boost the interior mass transfer and help to promote release of active sites for improving the photocatalytic activity. As a consequence of the exposed (001) high active facets, the singular ability of microfluidic manipulation has greater effect on ZnO nanosheet arrays films. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity of the actuated ZnO nanosheet arrays film is much more than that of ZnO nanorod arrays film.