Bacteria-Directed Construction of ZnO/CdS Hollow Rods and Their Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

Zinc oxide (ZnO) hollow rods were fabricated by precipitation method with Bacillus subtilis as template. CdS nanoparticles were then decorated on the surface of the ZnO rods through hydrothermal method. The as-prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscope and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy techniques. The ZnO/CdS composite hollow rods copied the morphology of Bacillus subtilis. A possible formation mechanism of the rods was proposed. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was further evaluated through the photodegradation of Rhodamine B under a simulated solar-light irradiation. Results indicated that the photocatalytic activity of the rods improved greatly.