Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were obtained by thermal decompo-sition of
one-dimensional zinc-benzenepolycarboxylato complexes as single-source
precursors at 450 ?C in air atmosphere. The mechanism and kinetics of
thermal degradation of zinc-benzenepolycarboxylato complexes were analyzed
under non-isothermal conditions in air atmosphere. The results of X-ray
powder diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed
hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO with an average crystallite size in the
range of 39-47 nm and similar morphology. The band gap and the specific
surface area of ZnO nanoparticles were determined using ultraviolet-visible
diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and Brunauer, Emmett and Teller method,
respectively. The photo-luminescent, photocatalytic and antimicrobial
properties of ZnO nanoparticles were also examined. The best photocatalytic
activity for degradation of C. I. Reactive Orange 16 dye has been observed
for ZnO powder where crystallites form the smallest agglomerates. All ZnO
nanoparticles showed excellent inhi-bitory effect against Gram-positive
bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli.
[Projects of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 451-03-68/2020-14/200287 and Grant no. 451-03-68/2020-14/200135)]