Facile preparation of ZnO nanosheets and its photocatalytic activity in the degradation of rhodamine B dye under UV irradiation

We have successfully synthesized high crystalline quality ZnO nanosheets (NSs) structures by a hydrothermal process. The detailed characterizations have shown that the ZnO nanostructures were well crystalline, uniform and had nanosheets-like morphology with an average size of 100-150 nm. The photocatalytic performance of ZnO NSs was examined for use in the degradation of rhodamine B dye, and exhibited ∼83.7% and 96.8% dye decomposition within 100 min and 140 min, respectively, under UV irradiation. The results were attributed to the high crystalline quality of ZnO NSs that produced reactive sites over the ZnO catalyst surface to decompose the rhodamine B dye.