Review on augmentation in photocatalytic activity of CoFe2O4 via heterojunction formation for photocatalysis of organic pollutants in water

In previous years, cobalt ferrite has gained huge consideration in the field of semiconductor photocatalysis for waste water treatment. Cobalt ferrite and its derivatives own tunable magnetic properties which results in higher absorption capability in comparison with other photocatalyst semiconductors. In the current review, a brief overview of CoFe₂O₄ as a semiconductor photocatalyst is presented and ferromagnetic behaviour of CoFe₂O₄ is also discussed. Few drawbacks such as agglomeration, photocorrosion and recombination rate of electrons-holes are also discussed. For the enhancement of photocatalytic action of cobalt ferrite, the role of cobalt ferrite with type I, type II, direct Z-scheme, solid state Z-scheme heterojunctions, Schottky and p-n heterojunctions based on different heterostructures were also discussed. In conclusive outlook formation of cobalt ferrite based heterojunctions is best approach for the enhancement of photocatalytic performance. This is because heterojunction formation enhanced the rate of charge separation and thus reduced the electron–hole recombination. Herein, this review highlights the CoFe₂O₄ based heterojunctions for the photodegradation of noxious organic pollutants in water. Furthermore, the future expectations and challenges in exploiting CoFe₂O₄ nanocomposites for water treatment, also discussed in precise conclusion of this review.     

Facile synthesis of Z-scheme NiO/α-MoO3 p-n heterojunction for improved photocatalytic activity towards degradation of methylene blue

In this article, Z-scheme NiO/α-MoO₃ p-n heterojunction is successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route. The phase and nanostructures are researched through a series of characterizations, such as XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, XPS and DRS. It is confirmed that the NiO nanoparticles are deposited homogeneously on one dimensional α-MoO₃ nanobelts and p-n heterojuction is constructed at the interface of α-MoO₃ and NiO. Photocatalytic activity of the as-synthesized photocatalysts is investigated by photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under simulated solar light irradiation. Compared with bare α-MoO₃, the NiO/α-MoO₃ p-n heterojunction exhibits significantly improved photocatalytic activity and photostability for MB degradation. The improvement in the photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the optimization of the charge transport pathway offered by Z-scheme heterojunctions, which can promote the effective separation of electron-hole pairs. The results indicate that Z-scheme NiO/α-MoO₃ p-n heterojunction is a novel and efficient photocatalyst with potential application for the removal of organic contaminant in wastewater.     

Photocatalytic activity under visible light illumination of organic dyes over g-C3N4/MgAl2O4 nanocomposite

Using a grinding method, nanocomposites of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) and magnesium aluminate (MgAl₂O₄) spinel were successfully synthesized for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO). Variously formulated g-C₃N₄/MgAl₂O₄ nanocomposites were characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and surface area and micropore analysis (BET surface area). The g-C₃N₄ powder exhibited a nanosheet structure whereas the MgAl₂O₄ spinel comprised agglomerated nanoparticles. The optical properties of the g-C₃N₄/MgAl₂O₄ nanocomposites were investigated by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). As the g-C₃N₄ loading content increased from 0 to 30%, the optical band gap energy of the nanocomposite decreased from 3.84 to 2.86 eV, the specific surface area decreased from 153.78 to 114.45 m²/g, and the porosity decreased from 0.447 to 0.347 cm³/g. A 20%g-C₃N₄/MgAl₂O₄ nanocomposite proved to be the most effective photocatalyst and degraded MB faster and more completely than MO. The degradation rates of both MO (0.0107 min^?1) and MB (0.0386 min^?1) in a mixed MO-MB system were greater than the degradation rates in their single systems. The key factor that improved the photocatalytic degradation of MO was the synergistic effect whereas the synergistic effect and photosensitization were the key factors that enhanced the photocatalytic degradation of MB. The g-C₃N₄/MgAl₂O₄ nanocomposite is suitable for the photocatalytic degradation of mixed dyes because its point of zero charge is neutral and it is stable and recyclable.     

A Novel Visible Light-Driven p-Type BiFeO3/n-Type SnS2 Heterojunction Photocatalyst for Efficient Charge Separation and Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

This present investigation focused on novel p-type bismuth ferrite (BiFeO₃)/n-type tin sulfide (SnS₂) heterostructure photocatalyst has been favorably attained via a facile two-step process followed by co-precipitation approach for enhances the photocatalytic activity through the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) organic dyes under visible-light illumination. Structural, optical, and photocatalytic behavior of the prepared BiFeO₃ and BiFeO₃/SnS₂ photocatalysts are carefully explored. The photocatalytic efficiency of BiFeO₃/SnS₂ nanocatalyst was calculated to be 83%, 78% for MB and RhB, respectively, within 120 min illumination whereas the pure BiFeO₃ nanoparticle was 58% and 56% for MB and RhB. This prominent enhancement of visible light photocatalytic activity can be ascribed to the separation as well as the transfer of photogenerated charge carriers, successful exploitation of visible light absorption and donates the enlarged number of photocatalytic active sites by the formation of BiFeO₃/SnS₂ p-n heterojunction.

     

The coating of conducting copolymer on coordination polymer nanorod: A visible light active p-n heterojunction photocatalyst for H2 production

A visible light active p-n heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized successfully through in-situ chemical oxidation copolymerization of aniline (ANI) and diphenylamine-4-sulfonate (DPAS) with the existence of coordination polymer nanorod (CPNR) under initiation of ammonium persulfate (APS). Compared with neat coordination polymer nanorod, the resulted p-n heterojunction photocatalyst exhibits higher H₂ generationrate under visible light irradiation. In this heterojunction photocatalyst, as a p-type semiconductor possessing suitable energy levels with coordination polymer nanorod, poly-(aniline-co-N-(4-sulfophenyl)-aniline) (PAPSA) forms p-n heterojunction with n-type coordination polymer nanorod, the inner electric field of p-n heterojunction accelerates the separation of electrons and holes, which enhances H₂ production performance. Furthermore, the influence of concentration ratio between DPAS and ANI on photocatalytic property of the p-n heterojunction photocatalyst was discussed and a reasonable condition to fabricate photocatalyst with high H₂ generationrate had been obtained. During photocatalytic water splitting H₂ generation, the p-n heterojunction photocatalyst exhibited outstanding stability.     

TiO2/BiVO4, a Heterojuncted Microfiber with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance for Methylene Blue under Visible Light Irradiation

Novel TiO₂/BiVO₄ microfiber heterojunctions were constructed using cotton as biomorphic templates. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra and photocatalytic experiment. The morphology of the as-synthesized TiO₂/BiVO₄ composites was consisted of a large quantity of microfiber structures with diameter from 2.5 μm to 5 μm, and the surface of samples became more coarse and compact with the increase of weight ratio of TiO₂. The TiO₂/BiVO₄ samples with proper content (10.00wt%) showed the highest pho-tocatalytic degradation activity for methylene blue (MB) degradation among all the samples under visible light, and 88.58%MB could be degraded within 150 min. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity was mainly attributed to the formation of n-n heterojunction at the contact interface of TiO₂ and BiVO₄, which not only narrowed the band gap of BiVO₄ for extending the absorption range of visible light, but also promoted the transfer of charge carriers across interface. A possible photodegradation mechanism of MB in the presence of TiO₂/BiVO₄ microfibrous photocatalyst was proposed.     

Construction of a novel ZnCo2O4/Bi2O3 heterojunction photocatalyst with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

A novel ZnCo₂O₄/Bi₂O₃ heterojunction photocatalyst was prepared via balling method. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is mainly attributed to the broad photoabsorption and low recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, which is driven by the photogenerated potential difference formed at the ZnCo₂O₄/Bi₂O₃ heterojunction interface.     

Ag_3PO_4/MoS_2纳米片复合催化剂制备及可见光催化性能

采用机械球磨法成功制备Ag_3PO_4/MoS_2纳米片复合催化剂。运用X射线衍射仪(XRD)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、紫外可见漫反射光谱(UV-Vis)和荧光发射光谱(PL)对复合催化剂的结构和形貌进行了表征。结果表明,Ag_3PO_4纳米粒子均匀地附着在MoS_2纳米片层结构上,两者形成紧密结合。以亚甲基蓝为模拟污染物,研究复合催化剂在可见光照射下的光催化特性;通过循环实验考察复合催化剂的稳定性。结果显示,含有1%的MoS_2纳米片与Ag_3PO_4形成的复合催化剂在30 min内对亚甲基蓝的降解率为95%,其降解动力学常数是纯相Ag_3PO_4的2倍。经过5次循环实验后复合催化剂对于亚甲基蓝的降解率为84%,而纯Ag_3PO_4对于亚甲基蓝的降解率仅为35%。Ag_3PO_4/MoS_2纳米片复合催化剂具有优良的光催化活性和高稳定性,主要归因于二硫化钼纳米片与磷酸银形成异质结,磷酸银激发的电子和二硫化钼纳米片产生的空穴直接复合,从而促使光生电子从磷酸银晶体表面快速分离,减轻了磷酸银的光电子腐蚀,同时也提高了复合物的光催化活性。     

Ag3PO4/MoS2纳米片复合催化剂制备及可见光催化性能

采用机械球磨法成功制备Ag₃PO₄/MoS₂纳米片复合催化剂。运用X射线衍射仪（XRD）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、紫外可见漫反射光谱（UV-Vis）和荧光发射光谱（PL）对复合催化剂的结构和形貌进行了表征。结果表明,Ag₃PO₄纳米粒子均匀地附着在MoS₂纳米片层结构上,两者形成紧密结合。以亚甲基蓝为模拟污染物,研究复合催化剂在可见光照射下的光催化特性;通过循环实验考察复合催化剂的稳定性。结果显示,含有1%的MoS₂纳米片与Ag₃PO₄形成的复合催化剂在30 min内对亚甲基蓝的降解率为95%,其降解动力学常数是纯相Ag₃PO₄的2倍。经过5次循环实验后复合催化剂对于亚甲基蓝的降解率为84%,而纯Ag₃PO₄对于亚甲基蓝的降解率仅为35%。Ag₃PO₄/MoS₂纳米片复合催化剂具有优良的光催化活性和高稳定性,主要归因于二硫化钼纳米片与磷酸银形成异质结,磷酸银激发的电子和二硫化钼纳米片产生的空穴直接复合,从而促使光生电子从磷酸银晶体表面快速分离,减轻了磷酸银的光电子腐蚀,同时也提高了复合物的光催化活性。     

Straightforward Synthesis of Mn3O4/ZnO/Eu2O3-Based Ternary Heterostructure Nano-Photocatalyst and Its Application for the Photodegradation of Methyl Orange and Methylene Blue Dyes

Zinc oxide-ternary heterostructure Mn₃O₄/ZnO/Eu₂O₃ nanocomposites were successfully prepared via waste curd as fuel by a facile one-pot combustion procedure. The fabricated heterostructures were characterized utilizing XRD, UV–Visible, FT-IR, FE-SEM, HRTEM and EDX analysis. The photocatalytic degradation efficacy of the synthesized ternary nanocomposite was evaluated utilizing model organic pollutants of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) in water as examples of cationic dyes and anionic dyes, respectively, under natural solar irradiation. The effect of various experimental factors, viz. the effect of a light source, catalyst dosage, irradiation time, pH of dye solution and dye concentration on the photodegradation activity, was systematically studied. The ternary Mn₃O₄/ZnO/Eu₂O₃ photocatalyst exhibited excellent MB and MO degradation activity of 98% and 96%, respectively, at 150 min under natural sunlight irradiation. Experiments further conclude that the fabricated nanocomposite exhibits pH-dependent photocatalytic efficacy, and for best results, concentrations of dye and catalysts have to be maintained in a specific range. The prepared photocatalysts are exemplary and could be employed for wastewater handling and several ecological applications.     

偏硼酸锶/碳酸锶复合催化剂光催化还原CO2生成CH4的研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备出SrB₂O₄和SrCO₃复合催化剂(SrB₂O₄/SrCO₃). 紫外光催化还原CO₂生成CH₄的实验证明, SrB₂O₄/SrCO₃复合催化剂的光催化活性已超过SrB₂O₄和TiO₂(P25)催化剂. 利用X 射线电子衍射(XRD)谱、透射电子显微镜(TEM)和等温氮气吸附-脱附分析确定了催化剂的晶相结构、粒子尺寸和比表面积.利用紫外-可见(UV-Vis)漫反射吸收光谱、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)的价带谱和荧光光谱(PL)确定了催化剂的能带结构, 结果表明: SrB₂O₄/SrCO₃复合催化剂异质结构有利于光生载流子的分离, 从而抑制了光生电子和光生空穴的复合, 提高了光生电子和光生空穴在固液界面参加光催化反应的利用率. 因此, SrB₂O₄/SrCO₃复合催化剂的紫外光催化活性得到了有效的提高.     

In-situ construction of amorphous/crystalline contact Bi2S3/Bi4O7 heterostructures for enhanced visible-light photocatalysis

Constructing a heterojunction photocatalyst is a significant method to enhance photocatalytic activity because it can promote the separation of photogenerated carriers. Herein, amorphous/crystalline contact Bi₂S₃/Bi₄O₇ heterostructure was successfully synthesized by in-situ sulfidation of Bi₄O₇. The amorphous Bi₂S₃ is diffused on the surface of Bi₄O₇ rod, enhancing the visible light response and improving the transport of photogenerated carriers. Various characterizations confirm that the rapid separation of photogenerated carriers leads to increased photocatalytic performance. The optimized Bi₂S₃/Bi₄O₇ heterostructure photocatalyst (BiS-0.15) exhibits the highest Cr(VI) reduction (0.01350 min⁻¹) and RhB oxidation (0.08011 min⁻¹) activity, which is much higher than that of pure Bi₄O₇ and Bi₂S₃/Bi₄O₇ mixture under visible light irradiation. This work provides new insights into the construction of efficient novel photocatalysts.     

Applying facilely synthesized CuO/CeO2 photocatalyst to accelerate methylene blue degradation in hypersaline wastewater

Textile and dye effluents have strong color, unstable pH and COD, a lot of inorganic salt, and high biotoxicity. It is difficult and inefficient to remove dyes from high-saline wastewater by traditional methods. In this study, a simple synthetic CuO/CeO₂ photocatalyst is used to achieve high efficiency photodegradation of methylene blue in high salt wastewater. The p-type CuO/n-type CeO₂ heterojunction photocatalyst is synthesized by a modified hydrothermal-calcination method. The XRD and XPS reveal the successful synthesis of CuO/CeO₂ composite. The SEM and TEM images show that the sample consists of large amounts of well-dispersed CuO nanosphere loading on the CeO₂ layers. DRS exhibits the absorption band (about 510 nm) and the band gap energy (2.43 eV) of the CuO/CeO₂ composite. Compared with pure CuO, CeO₂, and TiO₂ (P25), the prepared CuO/CeO₂ can increase the mineralization rate of MB by 18.19%~33.74%. More than 80% of MB can be effectively removed in the wastewater containing 5~80 g/L NaCl with a wide pH value range of 2.11~9.02, and the degradation processes follow the pseudofirst-order reaction kinetics. Active species trapping experiments confirm that the degradation of methylene blue is mainly attributed to hydroxyl radical; besides, O₂^▪− and hole (h⁺) also play important roles. Chlorine ions have dual effects in photocatalytic reactions. This work could provide a new approach to construct new heterojunction photocatalysts and a deeper insight for the treatment of hypersaline dye wastewater.     

Synthesis of eco-friendly porous g-C3N4/SiO2/SnO2 composite with excellent visible-light responsive photocatalysis

Forming eco-friendly heterojunction photocatalysts is excellent method to accelerate the separation rate of photogenerated charge carriers, which is attracting more and more attention. In this study, a novel and stable disordered porous g-C₃N₄/SiO₂/SnO₂ (DOP-CSiSn) heterojunction composites was fabricated by a sol-gel hard template method, and the optimal g-C₃N₄ doped ratio was adjusted in DOP-CSiSn. The DOP-CSiSn photocatalyst had the much larger specific surface area and disordered porous structure, which exhibited strong photocatalytic effect to degrade Rhodamine B (RhB), Methylene blue (MB) and Methyl orange (MO) under visible light. When the g-C₃N₄ doping content was 30 wt%, the highest photocatalytic activities were obtained, and the degradation rate of MB and MO were 99.73% and 95.58% after 50 min, respectively. Degradation rate of RhB was 95.10% after 90 min. Photocatalytic degradation rate of organic pollutants were still more than 90% after six time consecutive cycles, the composite had wonderful stability and potential value in environmental purification.     

Magnetically separable and recyclable photocatalyst MoS2-SrFe12O19 with p-n heterojunction: Fabrication,characterization, and photocatalytic mechanism

A novel magnetic photocatalyst MoS₂-SrFe₁₂O₁₉ was successfully synthesized via a facile and reliable hydrothermal method. Flower-shaped nanospheres MoS₂ was compactly decorated with hexagon nanoplate SrFe₁₂O₁₉, which formed a new p-n heterojunction. The superiority of this heterojunction structure has validated by characterizations and spectroscopic technique. Importantly, the MoS₂-SrFe₁₂O₁₉ composite presents remarkable photocatalytic activity for the degradation of organic dyes (RhB and MB), far exceeding those for the pure MoS₂ and SrFe₁₂O₁₉. In particular, the degradation rate of RhB reached to 96.5% after only 120 min photocatalytic reaction for the composite MoS₂-SrFe₁₂O₁₉ (10 wt%). Based on the experiments and mechanism research, this magnetic photocatalyst can facilitate the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, inhibit the recombination and prolong lifespan of charge. It is attributed to its unique composite structure and intimate interfacial contact, which can obtain a higher light utilization and electron transit path. In addition, MoS₂-SrFe₁₂O₁₉ can be rapidly separated (5–10 seconds) and recycled under an external magnetic field, which verifies the satisfactory magnetism and reusability of the composite (Ms = 10.1 emu g^–1, Mr = 3.5 emu g^–1, Hci = 1407.7 Oe). Overall, this work provides a new insight for the recyclable photocatalytic systems with multi-functionalities.     

Preparation of Ag3PO4/TiO2(B) Heterojunction Nanobelt with Extended Light Response and Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance

Photocatalytic degradation, as an emerging method to control environmental pollution, is considered one of the most promising environmental purification technologies. As Tibet is a region with some of the strongest solar radiation in China and even in the world, it is extremely rich in solar energy resources, which is ideal for applying photocatalytic technology to its ecological environment protection and governance. In this study, Na₂Ti₃O₇ nanobelts were prepared via a hydrothermal method and converted to TiO₂∙xH₂O ion exchange, which was followed by high-temperature calcination to prepare TiO₂(B) nanobelts (“B” in TiO₂(B) means “Bronze phase”). A simple in situ method was used to generate Ag₃PO₄ particles on the surface of the TiO₂ nanobelts to construct a Ag₃PO₄/TiO₂(B) heterojunction composite photocatalyst. By generating Ag₃PO₄ nanoparticles on the surface of the TiO₂(B) nanobelts to construct heterojunctions, the light absorption range of the photocatalyst was successfully extended from UV (ultraviolet) to the visible region. Furthermore, the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs in the catalyst was inhibited by the construction of the heterojunctions, thus greatly enhancing its light quantum efficiency. Therefore, the prepared Ag₃PO₄/TiO₂(B) heterojunction composite photocatalyst greatly outperformed the TiO₂(B) nanobelt in terms of photocatalytic degradation.     

Novel organic/inorganic PDI-Urea/BiOBr S-scheme heterojunction for improved photocatalytic antibiotic degradation and H2O2 production

The matched energy band structure and efficient carrier separation efficiency are the keys to heterogeneous photocatalytic reactions. A novel organic/inorganic step scheme (S-scheme) heterojunction PDI-Urea/BiOBr composite photocatalyst was constructed by simple solvothermal reaction combined with in-situ growth strategy. The composite photocatalyst not only has high chemical stability, but also can generate and accumulate a large number of active species (h⁺, ^?O₂^?, ^?OH, H₂O₂). PDI-Urea/BiOBr showed higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of antibiotic such as ofloxacin (OFLO), tetracycline (TC) and the production of H₂O₂ in the spectral range of 400–800 nm. The apparent rate constant of 15% PDI-Urea/BiOBr for photocatalytic degradation of TC (or OFLO) was 2.7 (or 2.5) times that of pure BiOBr and 1.7 (or 1.8) times that of pure PDI-Urea. The H₂O₂ evolution rate of 15% PDI-Urea/BiOBr was 2.5 times that of PDI-Urea and 1.5 times that of BiOBr, respectively. This work has formed a mature S-scheme heterojunction design thought and method, which offers new visions for the development of heterogeneous photocatalysts.     

Multifunctional silicene/CeO2 heterojunctions: Desirable electronic material and promising water-splitting photocatalyst

The first-principles calculations demonstrate that covalently bonded (cb) heterojunction and van der Waals (vdW) heterojunction can coexist in silicene/CeO₂ heterojunctions, due to the different stacking patterns. Especially, the cb heterojunction with band gap of 1.97 eV, forms a type-II heterojunction, exhibits good redox performance and has high-effective optical absorption spectra, thus it is a promising photocatalyst for overall water splitting. Besides, for the vdW heterojunction, the Dirac cone of silicene is well kept on CeO₂ semiconducting substrate, with a considerable energy gap of 0.43 eV, which can be an ideal material in building silicene-based electronic device. These results may open a new gateway in both of nanoelectronic device and energy conversion for silicene/CeO₂ nanocomposites.     

Facilely anchoring Cu2O nanoparticles on mesoporous TiO2 nanorods for enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction through efficient charge transfer

Semiconductor-employed photocatalytic CO₂ reduction has been regarded as a promising approach for environmental-friendly conversion of CO₂ into solar fuels. Herein, TiO₂/Cu₂O composite nanorods have been successfully fabricated by a facile chemical reduction method and applied for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. The composition and structure characterization indicates that the Cu₂O nanoparticles are coupled with TiO₂ nanorods with an intimate contact. Under light illumination, all the TiO₂/Cu₂O composite nanorods enhance the photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. In particular, the TiO₂/Cu₂O-15% sample exhibits the highest CH₄ yield (1.35 µmol g^-1 h^-1) within 4 h irradiation, and it is 3.07 and 15 times higher than that of pristine TiO₂ nanorods and Cu₂O nanoparticles, respectively. The enhanced photoreduction capability of the TiO₂/Cu₂O-15% is attributed to the intimate construction of Cu₂O nanoparticles on TiO₂ nanorods with formed p-n junction to accelerate the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. This work provides a reference for rational design of a p-n heterojunction photocatalyst for CO₂ photoreduction.     

Preparation of high‐activity AgBr/Ag3PO4 photocatalyst based on hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and mechanism of photocatalytic enhancement

A high‐activity AgBr/Ag₃PO₄ heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized based on hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide. Its microspheres were characterized using X‐ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The new photocatalyst with high photocatalytic activity exceptionally outperforms pure Ag₃PO₄ and AgBr in methyl orange degradation. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity is attributed to the efficient separation of electron–hole pairs. In this photocatalytic reaction, h⁺ and ^?O^2? are the main reactive species that induce visible‐light‐driven degradation.