Deposition and characterization of ZnO thin films on carbonaceous materials obtained from biomass

The scope of this study is aimed to produce carbonaceous material from the biomass, which is a renewable resource. Deposition of ZnO thin films on this material and to characterize these films is also aimed. For this purpose, black pine sawdust (sawdust), oak wood sawdust (hardwood) and rice husk (agricultural waste) were chosen as biomass resources with their different physicochemical properties. Bio-char production was carried out at different temperatures (400 °C, 550 °C and 700 °C) from each raw material by carbonization method. True and bulk densities, moisture, ash, volatile matter and fixed carbon contents of biomass and bio-char samples were determined. Characterization studies were completed using elemental analysis, FT-IR and SEM techniques. Bio-char samples were pelletized and ZnO thin film was deposited on the samples using chemical bath deposition technique. The ZnO structures obtained at different biomass samples, different carbonization temperatures and different reaction times (15 min, 30 min and 45 min) were characterized using XRD, SEM and EDX-mapping techniques. According to the characterization results, it was determined that the ZnO thin films for 45 minutes on the bio-char sample obtained from the rice husk at 550 °C was successfully produced as nano-flower structure.