Highly Efficient Simulated Solar Light-Driven Photocatalytic Degradation of 4-Nitrophenol over CdS/Carbon/MoSx Hybrids

Among the various organic pollutants and industrial chemicals, 4-nitrophenol has been one of the most monitored substances in aqueous environments, due to its enhanced solubility in such systems. This research reports for the first time the microwave-assisted synthesis of CdS/carbon/MoS_x hybrids and the subsequent utilization of such systems as photocatalysts for 4-nitrophenol degradation. The hybrids demonstrated a variable photocatalytic activity, by using a variety of organic substances as precursors for the solvothermal carbonization step. By using ascorbic acid as precursor, the corresponding ternary composite exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity, with the 4-nitrophenol concentration been almost quantitatively decayed within 45 min of irradiation. This could be ascribed due to the generation of a high population of heterojunctions as well as the chemical speciation of Mo-based nanostructures. Such ternary hybrids may be utilized as potential photocatalytic systems in processes, where removal of toxic water-soluble substances is the key issue.     

Rapid Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of CdS/Graphene/MoSx Tunable Heterojunctions and Their Application in Photocatalysis

Nanoscale two-dimensional nanostructures have shown great potential as functional components in photocatalysis. Here, investigations on the synthesis of heterostructured hybrids, comprised of 0D CdS nanoparticles as semiconductor and 2D/2D graphene/MoS_x as co-catalyst, are reported. The approach involves a rapid microwave-assisted reaction in autoclave conditions, by adopting either a one-step or a two-step protocol. The chemical speciation of the nanocomposites was found to depend strongly on the compounding conditions of the precursor substances. The photocatalytic activity was assessed by monitoring the photodegradation rate of 4-nitrophenol in solution using simulated solar light irradiation. The photocatalytic activity of the hybrids may be attributed to a combination of beneficial characteristics, strongly related to the chemical speciation of the composite components. Moreover, intimate contacts of the latter result in efficient heterojunctions. Overall, the present study provides valuable insight into the development of functional heterostructured photocatalysts comprised of two-dimensional nanomaterials.     

Adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions by HNO3-purified and chemically activated pyrolytic tire char

Pyrolytic tire char adsorbents either demineralized by nitric acid (purified char, PC) or activated with KOH-calcination (activated char, AC) were used for Cr(VI) removal from aquatic solutions and studied by adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics. Adsorbent’s physicochemical characteristics were studied by several techniques such as X-ray diffraction, porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis, and Boehm titration. For PC, acid treatment leads partially to a mesoporous structure while for AC, KOH activation creates also a microporosity enhancing the specific surface area at 443 m²g^?1. Cr(VI) adsorption onto both adsorbents followed better second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models and it was exothermic (ΔH < 0) and spontaneous (ΔG < 0). The maximum Cr(VI) adsorption capacity for AC and PC was 114 and 79.47 mg g^?1, respectively, at pH = 4. The present work reveals that AC and PC can be efficient sorbents for the removal of heavy metal ions, contributing both positively to wastewater treatment and waste tire pyrolysis plants.