A study on thermal degradation of zinc oxide nanopowders functionalized with anthocyanins, in correlation with their properties and applications

The variation of structural and optical properties during the thermal degradation of ZnO nanoparticles functionalized with anthocyanins was evidenced through thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, UV–Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy. A detailed structural study of the particles (cell parameters, lattice strain, and crystallite size) was performed based on the electron diffraction data. The structure and properties were correlated with photocatalytic activity in the degradation of Congo red dye. A higher calcination temperature was associated with lower photocatalytic activity, due to a higher crystallinity. Unusual photoluminescence properties compared to pristine ZnO have been observed.