1 research outputs found
ZnO Micro/Nanocrystals with Tunable Exposed (0001) Facets for Enhanced Catalytic Activity on the Thermal Decomposition of Ammonium Perchlorate
ZnO micro/nanocrystals with different
percentages of the exposed
(0001) facets were synthesized by a facile chemical bath deposition
method. Various characterizations were carried out to understand the
relationship between particle shape, exposed (0001) facets, and catalytic
activity of ZnO nanocrystals for the thermal decomposition of ammonium
perchlorate (AP). An enhancement in the catalytic activity was observed
for the ZnO micro/nanocrystals with a higher percentage of the exposed
(0001) facets, in which the activation energy <i>E</i><sub>a</sub> of AP decomposition was lowered from 154.0 ± 13.9 kJ/mol
to 90.8 ± 11.4 kJ/mol, 83.7 ± 15.1 kJ/mol, and 63.3 ±
3.7 kJ/mol for ZnO micro/nanocrystals with ca. 18.6%, 20.3%, and 39.3%
of the exposed (0001) facets. Theoretically evidenced by density functional
theory calculations, such highly exposed (0001) facets can be favorable
for the adsorption and diffusion of perchloric acid, and also facilitate
the formation of active oxygen which can lead to the oxidation reaction
of ammonia more completely in the catalytic decomposition of AP