过硫酸盐激活协同可见光催化降解四环素的机理和降解路径

为了提升微污染水体中抗生素的降解效率,利用过硫酸钠(PDS)激活协同手性介孔TiO₂可见光催化(PDS/vis-TiO₂)对四环素(TC)进行降解。详细对比研究了以手性TiO₂作为催化剂的PDS激活(PDS/TiO₂)、可见光催化(vis-TiO₂)和PDS/vis-TiO₂三种体系中,降解污染物的活性物种和污染物降解路径等的差异。结果表明,不对称的螺旋堆积结构在手性介孔TiO₂中引入了丰富的Ti³⁺,不仅提升了其可见光响应,同时能够激活PDS生成自由基。PDS/vis-TiO₂体系中光生空穴h⁺和·OH等多种自由基可以同时参与TC的降解,5 h内其对TC去除率可达到95%以上,远超PDS/TiO₂体系(TC去除率为48.9%)和vis-TiO₂体系(TC去除率为71.1%)。PDS加入到光催化体系中,会受到光生电子的激活而产生自由基,从而消耗光生电子,提升光生空穴和电子的分离率,达到协同增强污染物的降解能力。另外PDS激活后产生自由基也会大大增加体系对TC的降解性能。密度泛函理论计算和中间产物分析结果表明,TC在PDS/vis-TiO₂体系中的降解路径包含了光生空穴h⁺攻击TC的降解路径,同时也包括自由基攻击TC的降解路径。     

过硫酸盐激活协同可见光催化降解四环素的机理和降解路径

为了提升微污染水体中抗生素的降解效率,利用过硫酸钠（PDS）激活协同手性介孔TiO₂可见光催化（PDS/vis-TiO₂）对四环素（TC）进行降解。详细对比研究了以手性TiO₂作为催化剂的PDS激活（PDS/TiO₂）、可见光催化（vis-TiO₂）和PDS/vis-TiO₂三种体系中,降解污染物的活性物种和污染物降解路径等的差异。结果表明,不对称的螺旋堆积结构在手性介孔TiO₂中引入了丰富的Ti³⁺,不仅提升了其可见光响应,同时能够激活PDS生成自由基。PDS/vis-TiO₂体系中光生空穴h⁺和·OH等多种自由基可以同时参与TC的降解,5 h内其对TC去除率可达到95%以上,远超PDS/TiO₂体系（TC去除率为48.9%）和vis-TiO₂体系（TC去除率为71.1%）。PDS加入到光催化体系中,会受到光生电子的激活而产生自由基,从而消耗光生电子,提升光生空穴和电子的分离率,达到协同增强污染物的降解能力。另外PDS激活后产生自由基也会大大增加体系对TC的降解性能。密度泛函理论计算和中间产物分析结果表明,TC在PDS/vis-TiO₂体系中的降解路径包含了光生空穴h+攻击TC的降解路径,同时也包括自由基攻击TC的降解路径。     

Degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride by ultrafine TiO2 nanoparticles modified g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst: Influencing factors,products and mechanism insight

The unique heterojunction photocatalyst of graphite carbon nitride（g-C₃N₄） modified ultrafine TiO₂（gC₃N₄/Ti O₂） was successfully fabricated by electrochemical etching and co-annealing method. However,the effects of various environmental factors on the degradation of TC by g-C₃N₄/Ti O2and the internal reaction mechanism are still unclear. In this study, the effects of initial p H, anions, and cations on the ph...     

Tetracycline sensitizes TiO2 for visible light photocatalytic degradation via ligand-to-metal charge transfer

Treatment of antibiotics contaminated water remains a global environmental challenge. In this study, tetracycline (TC) was found to effectively sensitize pure TiO₂ for visible light photocatalytic degradation via a ligand-to-metal charge transfer mechanism. The sensitization was attributed to the formation of TC-TiO₂ complex and the overlap of the molecular orbitals of TC and the conduction band of TiO₂. The intermediate degradation products of TC, however, did not sensitize TiO₂, which was the reason for the low mineralization rate. Nevertheless, our results showed that the intermediate degradation products of TC had significantly reduced bactericidal effects and less induction of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs). This study showcases an effective treatment of antibiotics-containing wastewater using the most common photocatalyst TiO₂ with reduced risk in the spread of ARGs.     

A Simple Method for the Preparation of TiO2/Ag‐AgCl@Polypyrrole Composite and Its Enhanced Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Activity

A novel and facile method was developed to prepare a visible‐light driven TiO₂/Ag‐AgCl@polypyrrole (PPy) photocatalyst with Ag‐AgCl nanoparticles supported on TiO₂ nanofibers and covered by a thin PPy shell. During the synthesis, the PPy shell and Ag‐AgCl nanoparticles were prepared simultaneously onto TiO₂ nanofibers, which simplified the preparation procedure. In addition, because Ag‐AgCl aggregates were fabricated via partly etching the Ag nanoparticles, their size was well controlled at the nanoscale, which was beneficial for improvement of the contact surface area. Compared with reference photocatalysts, the TiO₂/Ag‐AgCl@PPy composite exhibited an enhanced photodegradation activity towards rhodamine B under visible‐light irradiation. The superior photocatalytic property originated from synergistic effects between TiO₂ nanofibers, Ag‐AgCl nanoparticles and the PPy shell. Furthermore, the TiO₂/Ag‐AgCl@PPy composite could be easily separated and recycled without obvious reduction in activity.     

CdS‐Encapsulated TiO2 Nanotube Arrays Lidded with ZnO Nanorod Layers and Their Photoelectrocatalytic Applications

A novel TiO₂ nanotube array/CdS nanoparticle/ZnO nanorod (TiO₂ NT/CdS/ZnO NR) photocatalyst was constructed which exhibited a wide‐absorption (200–535 nm) response in the UV/Vis region and was applied for the photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of dye wastewater. This was achieved by chemically assembling CdS into the TiO₂ NTs and then constructing a ZnO NR layer on the TiO₂ NT/CdS surface. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that a new structure had been obtained. The TiO₂ NTs looked like many “empty bottles” and the ZnO NR layer served as a big lid. Meanwhile the CdS NPs were encapsulated between them with good protection. After being sensitized by the CdS NPs, the absorption‐band edge of the obtained photocatalyst was obviously red‐shifted to the visible region, and the band gap was reduced from its original 3.20 eV to 2.32 eV. Photoelectric‐property tests indicated that the TiO₂ NT/CdS/ZnO NR material maintained a very high PEC activity in both the ultraviolet (UV) and the visible region. The maximum photoelectric conversion efficiencies of TiO₂ NT/CdS/ZnO NR were 31.8 and 5.98 % under UV light (365 nm) and visible light (420–800 nm), respectively. In the PEC oxidation, TiO₂ NT/CdS/ZnO NR exhibited a higher removal ability for methyl orange (MO) and a high stability. The kinetic constants were 1.77×10^?4 s^?1 under UV light, which was almost 5.9 and 2.6 times of those on pure TiO₂ NTs and TiO₂ NT/ZnO NR, and 2.5×10^?4 s^?1 under visible light, 2.4 times those on TiO₂ NT/CdS.     

Floating ZnO QDs-Modified TiO2/LLDPE Hybrid Polymer Film for the Effective Photodegradation of Tetracycline under Fluorescent Light Irradiation: Synthesis and Characterisation

In this work, mesoporous TiO₂-modified ZnO quantum dots (QDs) were immobilised on a linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) polymer using a solution casting method for the photodegradation of tetracycline (TC) antibiotics under fluorescent light irradiation. Various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques were used to investigate the physicochemical properties of the floating hybrid polymer film catalyst (8%-ZT@LLDPE). The highest removal (89.5%) of TC (40 mg/L) was achieved within 90 min at pH 9 due to enhanced water uptake by the LDDPE film and the surface roughness of the hybrid film. The formation of heterojunctions increased the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. The QDs size-dependent quantum confinement effect leads to the displacement of the conduction band potential of ZnO QDs to more negative energy values than TiO₂. The displacement generates more reactive species with higher oxidation ability. The highly stable film photocatalyst can be separated easily and can be repeatedly used up to 8 cycles without significant loss in the photocatalytic ability. The scavenging test indicates that the main species responsible for the photodegradation was O₂^●−. The proposed photodegradation mechanism of TC was demonstrated in further detail based on the intermediates detected by LC-time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (LC/TOF-MS).     

In-situ polymerization for PPy/g-C3N4 composites with enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance

Polypyrrole-modified graphitic carbon nitride composites (PPy/g-C₃N₄) are fabricated using an in-situ polymerization method to improve the visible light photocatalytic activity of g-C₃N₄. The PPy/g-C₃N₄ is applied to the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. Various characterization techniques are employed to investigate the relationship between the structural properties and photoactivities of the as-prepared composites. Results show that the specific surface area of the PPy/g-C₃N₄ composites increases upon assembly of the amorphous PPy nanoparticles on the g-C₃N₄ surface. Owing to the strong conductivity, the PPy can be used as a transition channel for electrons to move onto the g-C₃N₄ surface, thus inhibiting the recombination of photogenerated carriers of g-C₃N₄ and improving the photocatalytic performance. The elevated light adsorption of PPy/g-C₃N₄ composites is attributed to the strong absorption coefficient of PPy. The composite containing 0.75 wt% PPy exhibits a photocatalytic efficiency that is 3 times higher than that of g-C₃N₄ in 2 h. Moreover, the degradation kinetics follow a pseudo-first-order model. A detailed photocatalytic mechanism is proposed with ·OH and ·O₂^? radicals as the main reactive species. The present work provides new insights into the mechanistic understanding of PPy in PPy/g-C₃N₄ composites for environmental applications.     

Preparation and Characterization of Polypyrrole/TiO2 Coaxial Nanocables

Summary: We demonstrate in this communication that large‐scale coaxial nanocables of polypyrrole (PPy)/TiO₂ can be obtained via three steps: (1) synthesis of TiO₂ nanofibers by electrospinning; (2) physical adsorption Fe³⁺ oxidant on the surface of TiO₂ nanofibers; (3) followed by polymerization of pyrrole (from vapor) on the surface of TiO₂ nanofibers. During the synthesis, the PPy formed on TiO₂ nanofibers as a template and formed PPy/TiO₂ coaxial nanocables. TEM image proved that PPy (20 nm thickness) covered the surface of TiO₂ nanofibers. Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR), X‐ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and X‐ray diffraction patterns (XRD) characterized the chemical structure of the coaxial nanocables. Surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS) revealed the surface properties of the PPy/TiO₂ coaxial nanocables.

TEM image of individual PPy/TiO₂ coaxial nanocable.     

Photocatalytic properties of CuO/(001)‐TiO2 composites synthesized by the vapor–thermal method

Composites of (001)‐face‐exposed TiO₂ ((001)‐TiO₂) and CuO were synthesized in water vapor environment at 250°C with various Cu/Ti molar ratios (R_Cu/Ti). The resulting CuO/(001)‐TiO₂ composites were characterized using a variety of techniques. The synthesis under high‐temperature vapor allows close contact between CuO and (001)‐TiO₂, which results in the formation of heterojunctions, as evidenced by the shift of valence band maximum towards the forbidden band of TiO₂. An appropriate ratio of CuO can enhance the absorption of visible light and promote the separation of photogenerated carriers, which improve the photocatalytic performance. The degradation rate constant K_app increased from 5.5 × 10^?2 to 8.1 × 10^?2 min^?1 for R_Cu/Ti = 0.5. Additionally, the results showed that superoxide radicals (^?O₂^?) play a major role in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue.     

Oxidation of a PPy-modified tantalum electrode

A tantalum electrode on which polypyrrole (PPy) had been previously formed by electropolymerization was galvanostatically electrolyzed in an aqueous solution of 0.01 wt% phosphoric acid. This process contains the irreversible oxidation of a PPy film, the decomposition of solvent, and the formation of Ta₂O₅ by the reaction of OH^? coming through the PPy film, with Ta electrodes. A three layer-structure (PPy/Ta₂O₅/Ta) was confirmed by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). A PPy film containing CIO₄^? as dopant [PPy(CIO₄^?)] was significantly deteriorated in comparison with PPy(TsO^?) at the electrolysis. Therefore, the (PPy(TsO^?)/Ta₂O₅/Ta) system showed better electrical characteristics as a capacitor than the (PPy(CIO₄^?)/Ta₂O₅/Ta) system showed better electrical characteristics as a capacitor than the (PPy(ClO₄^?)/Ta₂O₅/Ta) system.     

One-dimensional porous Ag/AgBr/TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanofibres with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

One-dimensional (1D) Ag/AgBr/TiO₂ nanofibres (NFs) have been successfully fabricated by the one-pot electrospinning method. In comparison with bare TiO₂ NFs and Ag/AgBr/PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone) NFs, the 1D Ag/AgBr/TiO₂ NFs photocatalyst exhibits much higher photocatalytic activity in the degradation of a commonly used dye, methylene blue (MB), under visible light. The photocatalytic removal efficiency of MB over Ag/AgBr/TiO₂ NFs achieves almost 100 % in 20 min. The photocatalytic reaction follows the first-order kinetics and the rate constant (k) for the degradation of MB by Ag/AgBr/TiO₂ NFs is 5.2 times and 6.6 times that of Ag/AgBr/PVP NFs and TiO₂ NFs, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the stronger visible light absorption, more effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and faster charge transfer in the long nanofibrous structure. The Ag/AgBr/TiO₂ NFs maintain a highly stable photocatalytic activity due to its good structural stability and the self-stability system of Ag/AgBr. The mechanisms for photocatalysis associated with Ag/AgBr/TiO₂ NFs are proposed. The degradation of MB in the presence of scavengers reveals that h⁺ and ^?O ₂ ^? significantly contribute to the degradation of MB.     

Photocatalytic degradation of sulfadiazine in suspensions of TiO2 nanosheets with exposed (001) facets

Antibiotics such as sulfonamides are widely used in agriculture as growth promoters and medicine in treatment of infectious diseases. However, the release of these antibiotics has caused serious environmental problems. In this paper, photocatalytic oxidation technology was used to degrade sulfadiazine (SDZ), one of the typical sulfonamides antibiotics, in UV illuminated TiO₂ suspensions. It was found that TiO₂ nanosheets (TiO₂-NSs) with exposed (001) facets exhibit much higher photoreactivity towards SDZ degradation compared to TiO₂ nanoparticles (TiO₂-NPs) with a rate constant increases from 0.017 min⁻¹ to 0.035 min⁻¹, improving by a factor of 2.1. Under the attacking of reactive oxygen species (ROSs) such as superoxide radicals (O₂^–) and hydroxyl radicals (OH), SDZ was steady degraded on the surface of TiO₂-NSs. Based on the identification of the produced intermediates by LC–MS/MS, possible degradation pathways of SDZ, which include desulfonation, oxidation and cleavage, were put forwards. After UV irradiation for 4 h, nearly 90% of the total organic carbon (TOC) can be removed in suspensions of TiO₂-NSs, indicating the mineralization of SDZ. TiO₂-NSs also exhibits excellent stability in photocatalytic degradation of SDZ in wide range of pH. Even after recycling used for 7 times, more than 91.3% of the SDZ can be efficiently removed, indicating that they are promising to be practically used in treatment of wastewater containing antibiotics.     

Synthesis of CuAPTPP-TDI-TiO2 Conjugated Microspheres and its Photocatalytic Activity (cited: 1)

The metal complex 5-(4-aminophenyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin copper (CuAPTPP) was covalently linked on the surface of TiO₂ microspheres by using toluene disocyanate (TDI) as a bridging bond unit. The hydroxyl group (-OH) of TiO₂ microspheres surface and the amino group (-NH₂) of CuAPTPP reacted respectively with the active -NCO groups of TDI to form a surface conjugated microsphere CuAPTPP-TDI-TiO₂ that was confirmed by FT-IR spectra. The CuAPTPP-TDI-TiO₂ microspheres were characterized with UV-visible, elemental analysis, XRD, SEM, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra. The effect of amounts of linked TDI on the performance of photocatalytic microspheres was discussed, and the optimal molar ratio of TDI:TiO₂ was established. The photocatalytic activity of CuAPTPP-TDI-TiO₂ was evaluated using the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation. The results showed that, TDI, as a bond unit, was used to form a steady chemical brigdging bond linking CuAPTPP and the surface of TiO₂ microspheres, and the prepared catalyst exhibited higher photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation for MB degradation. The degradation rate of 20 mg/L MB could reach 98.7% under Xe-lamp (150 W) irradiation in 120 min. The degradation of MB followed the first-order reaction model under visible light irradiation, and the rate constant of 5.1×10^-2 min^-1 and the half-life of 11.3 min were achieved. And the new photocatalyst can be recycled for 4 times, remaining 90.0% MB degradation rate.     

UV-assisted degradation of propiconazole in a TiO2 aqueous suspension: identification of transformation products and the reaction pathway using GC/MS

Photocatalytic degradation of propiconazole, a triazole pesticide, in the presence of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) under ultraviolet (UV) illumination was performed in a batch type photocatalytic reactor. A full factorial experimental design technique was used to study the main effects and the interaction effects between operational parameters in the photocatalytic degradation of propiconazole in a batch photo-reactor using the TiO₂ aqueous suspension. The effects of catalyst concentration (0.15–0.4 gL^?1), initial pH (3–9), initial concentration (5–35 mg L^?1) and light conditions were optimised at a reaction time duration of 90 min by keeping area/volume ratio constant at 0.919 cm² mL^?1. Photocatalytic oxidation of propiconazole showed 85% degradation and 76.57% mineralisation under UV light (365 nm/30 Wm^?2) at pH 6.5, initial concentration 25 mg L^?1 and constant temperature (25 ± 1 °C). The Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model has successfully elucidated the effects of the initial concentration on the degradation of propiconazole and the data obtained are consistent with the available kinetic parameters. The photocatalytic transformation products of propiconazole were identified by using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The pathway of degradation obtained from mass spectral analysis shows the breakdown of transformation products into smaller hydrocarbons (m/z 28 and 39).     

Visible‐light‐driven self‐cleaning SERS substrate of silver nanoparticles and graphene oxide decorated nitrogen‐doped titania nanotube array

Graphene oxide (GO) and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) sequentially decorated nitrogen‐doped titania nanotube array (N‐TiO₂ NTA) had been designed as visible‐light‐driven self‐cleaning surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate for a recyclable SERS detection application. N‐TiO₂ NTA was fabricated by anodic oxidation and then doping nitrogen treatment in ammonia atmosphere, acting as a visible‐light‐driven photocatalyst and supporting substrate. Ag/GO/N‐TiO₂ NTA was prepared by decorating GO monolayer through an impregnation process and then depositing Ag NPs through a polyol process on the surface of N‐TiO₂ NTA, acting as the collection of organic molecule and Raman enhancement. The SERS activity of Ag/GO/N‐TiO₂ NTA was evaluated using methyl blue as an organic probe molecule, revealing the analytical enhancement factor of 4.54 × 10⁴. Ag/GO/N‐TiO₂ NTA was applied as active SERS substrate to determine a low‐affinity organic pollutant of bisphenol A, revealing the detection limit of as low as 5 × 10^?7 m . Ag/GO/N‐TiO₂ NTA could also achieve self‐cleaning function for a recycling utilization through visible‐light‐driven photocatalytic degradation of the adsorbed organic molecules. Ag/GO/N‐TiO₂ NTA has been successfully reused for five times without an obvious decay in accuracy and sensitivity for organic molecule detection. The unique properties of this SERS substrate enable it to have a promising application for the sensitive and recyclable SERS detection of low‐affinity organic molecules. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrochemical monitoring of photoelectrocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B using TiO2 thin film modified graphite electrode

A commercially available TiO₂ powder (Degussa P25) has been used to prepare thin films on graphite plates. The photoelectrochemical degradation of rhodamine B was investigated using this photoelectrode. The effects of applied potential, pH, and initial rhodamine B concentration on the photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of rhodamine B using ultraviolet illuminated TiO₂/graphite (TiO₂/C) thin film electrode were examined and discussed. Also, direct photolysis, electrochemical oxidation, photocatalytic, and PEC degradation of rhodamine B were compared. Results show that the best responses for PEC are obtained at applied potential of 1.2?V vs. reference electrode, pH?4.0, and initial rhodamine B concentration of 4.2?mg?L^?1.     

Solar active nano-TiO2 for mineralization of Reactive Red 120 and Trypan Blue: 1st Nano Update

Nano-TiO₂ was synthesized by sol–gel method. The catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, transmission electron microscope (TEM), BET surface area measurement and DRS analysis. The formation of anatase phase nano-TiO₂ was confirmed by XRD measurements and its crystalline size is found to be 15.2 nm. SEM images depict the crystalline nature of prepared TiO₂. The BET surface area of prepared TiO₂ is found to be 86.5 m² g^?1 which is higher than that of commercially available TiO₂–P25. The photocatalytic activity of prepared anatase phase TiO₂ has been tested for the degradation of two azo dyes: Reactive Red 120 (RR 120) and Trypan Blue (TB) using solar light. The photocatalytic activity of nano-TiO₂ is higher than TiO₂–P25 under solar light. The mineralization of dyes has been confirmed by chemical oxygen demand (COD) measurements.     

Synthesis of anatase TiO2 in a vinyl-containing ionic liquid and its enhanced photocatalytic activity

TiO₂ microspheres were synthesized by the sol–gel method using the ionic liquid (IL) 1-vinyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide (VPIM⁺I^?) as a reaction medium, then calcined at 500 °C. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The phase of TiO₂ microspheres is anatase, and VPIM⁺I^? is able to favor the growth of anatase phase and prevents the collapse of small pores. The photocatalytic activity of TiO₂-IL was tested by degradation of 2-nitrophenol under UV light illumination. The photocatalytic activity of TiO₂-IL was higher than that of samples prepared in the reaction medium without VPIM⁺I^?.     

Photocatalytic Degradation of Styrene in Aqueous Solution: Central Composite Design Optimization

In this study, the response surface methodology was first applied to optimize the photocatalytic degradation of styrene in aqueous phase under UV/TiO₂ system. Twenty experiments were done by adjusting three parameters (styrene concentration, TiO₂ dose, and pH) at five levels. Optimal experimental conditions for arbitrary aqueous styrene concentration (115 mg L^?1) were found: initial pH 7 and TiO₂ loading 2 g L^?1 with photocatalytic degradation efficiency of 79.2%. Furthermore, the main degradation intermediate produced was identified by GC/MS. The total organic carbon results revealed that the photocatalysis process could be effectively mineralized. Kinetics of the photocatalytic reaction followed a pseudo-first-order model.