Three-dimensional hierarchical ZnO nanostructures with controllable building units: hydrothermal synthesis, growth process and photocatalytic activities for organic dyes

Two different morphologies of three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical ZnO nanostructures with different building units (1D nanowires and 2D nanoplates) have been successfully synthesised through a simple hydrothermal synthetic approach, namely nanourchins and nanoflowers. Moreover, the comparative photocatalytic studies have shown that the photocatalytic activities of the nanoflowers are both 10% higher than that of nanourchins in the photodegradation of organic dyes Methylene Blue and Rhodamine B. This study might be a useful basis for the study of other metal oxides from the perspective of basic theory and practical applications.