Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Mushrooms Like MWCNT/SiO2@ZnO Nanocomposite: Influence on Nematic Liquid Crystal E7 and Highly Effective Photocatalytic Activity in Degradation of Methyl Blue

Abstract

Mostly-uniform spherical mushrooms like MWCNT/SiO2@ZnO nanocomposite was synthesized under microwave power and characterized using TEM, XRD, EDX, TG/DTA and FT-IR techniques. The modified chemical process was used in three steps for the synthesis of the nanocomposite. Having a nano-capillary structure of MWCNT as nano-core, chemically and physically inert silica cover are a vital backbone for ZnO, which is a semiconductor. Because of the excellent chemical and physical properties of MWCNT/SiO2@ZnO nanocomposite, it has shown unique catalytic properties in the photocatalytic degradation of methyl blue. Approximately all of the methyl blue was degraded in water in 10 min. under sun-light and after 60 min., rarely left from dye in the water. The thermal and electrical behavior of mushrooms like nanocomposite doped E7 was investigated. According to the obtained results, the nematic to isotropic phase transition temperature of sample enhanced with nanocomposite dispersion and threshold voltage of mushroom like nanocomposite doped Nematic Liquid Crystal E7 decreased was founded.