Facile synthesis and photocatalytic activity of aluminium-doped zinc oxide materials with different shapes

Aluminium-doped zinc oxide (ZAO) with various shapes such as rod, particle and flake was prepared by the facile hydrothermal-template method. The morphologies and structures of the ZAO products were analysed by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV–vis spectroscopy and so on. The investigation of photocatalytic properties of ZAO products showed that ZAO products with large surface area and good crystallinity own better photocatalytic activity.