Zinc-based nanohybrids, devices and methods thereof

2:

• The zinc-based nanohybrid of claim 1, wherein the zinc oxide nanostructure has at least one morphology selected from the group consisting of a nanoparticle, and a nontubular nanorod.

3:

• The zinc oxide nanostructure of claim 2, wherein the zinc oxide nanostructure is a nontubular nanorod with an average largest diameter of 50-100 nm and a length of 0.3-5 μm.

4:

• The zinc oxide nanostructure of claim 2, wherein the zinc oxide nanostructure is a nanoparticle with an average diameter of 10-50 nm.

5:

• The zinc-based nanohybrid of claim 1, wherein the zinc phthalocyanine molecule is of Formula (I):
• wherein R1-R16 are each independently a hydrogen, a halogen, a hydroxyl, an amino, an alkoxy, an aryloxy, a nitro, a cyano, an optionally substituted C1-C8 alkyl, an optionally substituted cycloalkyl, an optionally substituted heterocyclyl, an optionally substituted arylalkyl, an optionally substituted heteroaryl, an optionally substituted alkoxyl, an optionally substituted thioalkoxyl, an optionally substituted aryl, a N-monosubstituted amino group, or a N,N-disubstituted amino group.

6:

• The zinc-based nanohybrid of claim 1, wherein the zinc phthalocyanine molecule is of Formula (I), wherein R1-R16 are each hydrogen.

7:

• The zinc-based nanohybrid of claim 1, wherein the bridging ligand has two terminal carboxylate groups, and through the two carboxylate end groups, the bridging ligand forms a first Zn—O linkage with zinc in the zinc oxide nanostructure and a second Zn—O linkage with zinc in the zinc phthalocyanine molecule.

8:

• The zinc-based nanohybrid of claim 1, wherein the bridging ligand molecule is of Formula (II):
• wherein R17-R20 are each independently a hydrogen, a halogen, a hydroxyl, an amino, an alkoxy, an aryloxy, a nitro, a cyano, an optionally substituted C1-C8 alkyl, an optionally substituted cycloalkyl, an optionally substituted heterocyclyl, an optionally substituted arylalkyl, an optionally substituted heteroaryl, an optionally substituted alkoxyl, an optionally substituted thioalkoxyl, an optionally substituted aryl, a N-monosubstituted amino group, or a N,N-disubstituted amino group.

9:

• The zinc-based nanohybrid of claim 1, wherein the bridging ligand is selected from the group consisting of citrate, tartrate, an amino acid, which is serine, cysteine, aspartate, glutamate or tyrosine, and enantiomers thereof.

11:

• The substrate of claim 10, wherein the plate is selected from the group consisting of a wafer plate, an indium tin oxide plate, a fluorine-doped tin oxide substrate plate, and a quartz glass plate.

12:

• The substrate of claim 10, wherein the zinc-based nanohybrid coating thickness is 0.5-10 μm.

13:

• The substrate of claim 10, wherein the zinc-based nanohybrid coating has a surface roughness that is 10-70 nm.

14:

• The substrate of claim 10, wherein the zinc-based nanohybrid coating has a porosity of 5-45%.

15:

• The substrate of claim 10, wherein the zinc-based nanohybrid coating is porous with an average pore size of 0.1-1 μm.

17:

• The dye decontamination device of claim 16, wherein the light source irradiates the dye-containing solution in contact with the substrate with a light having wavelength of 620-680 nm.

18:

• A method for degrading one or more dye compounds from an aqueous sample, comprising contacting the aqueous sample with the zinc-based nanohybrid of claim 1 in the presence of light to photodegrade one or more dye compounds.

19:

• The method of claim 18, wherein the light has a wavelength of 620-680 nm.

20:

• The method of claim 18, wherein the dye compound is selected from the group consisting of azo dyes and fluorone dyes.