Enhancement of photocatalytic activity in UV-illuminated tin dioxode/aluminum oxide system in aqueous 4-nitrophenol

A modified tin dioxide/aluminum oxide was prepared by co-precipitation, and its photocatalytic activity was measured. Tin dioxide modified by adding aluminum oxide had a higher photocatalytic activity than other photocatalysts in this study, especially at pH 7. A mass balance for carbon with UV-254 nm/SnO₂/Al₂O₃ system at pH 7 indicated that the amount of the intermediate increased with reaction time, but decreased after 120 min of photodegradation. The results reveal that the photocatalytic carrier, Al₂O₃, not only increased the amount of 4-nitrophenol removed but also promoted mineralization and destroyed 4-nitrophenol, which was degraded to other simple organic substances or inorganic substances.     

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.     

Rational design of ternary NiS/CQDs/ZnIn2S4 nanocomposites as efficient noble-metal-free photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution under visible light

The NiS/CQDs nanocomposite (CQDs represents carbon quantum dots), with a mass ratio of NiS/CQDs to be 1.19:1 based on the ICP result, was obtained via a facile hydrothermal method from a mixture of CQDs, Ni(OAc)₂ and Na₂S. The self-assembly of ZnIn₂S₄ microspheres on the surface of NiS/CQDs was realized under microwave conditions to obtain a ternary NiS/CQDs/ZnIn₂S₄ nanocomposite. The as-obtained NiS/CQDs/ZnIn₂S₄ nanocomposite was fully characterized, and its photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation was investigated. The ternary NiS/CQDs/ZnIn₂S₄ nanocomposite showed superior photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution than ternary CQDs/NiS/ZnIn₂S₄, which was obtained by deposition of NiS in the preformed CQDs/ZnIn₂S₄. The superior photocatalytic performance of ternary NiS/CQDs/ZnIn₂S₄ is ascribed to the introduction of CQDs, which act as a bridge to promote the vectorial transfer of photo-generated electrons from ZnIn₂S₄ to NiS. This result suggests that the rational design and fabrication of ternary CQDs-based systems are important for the efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. This study provides a strategy for developing highly efficient noble-metal-free photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution using CQDs as a bridge to promote the charge transfer in the nanocomposite.     

Understanding the synergistic effects,optical and electronic properties of ternary Fe/C/S‐doped TiO2 anatase within the DFT + U approach

Although TiO₂ is an efficient photocatalyst, its large band gap limits its photocatalytic activity only to the ultraviolet region. An experimentally synthesized ternary Fe/C/S‐doped TiO₂ anatase showed improved visible light photocatalytic activity. However, a theoretical study of the underlying mechanism of the enhanced photocatalytic activity and the interaction of ternary Fe/C/S‐doped TiO₂ has not yet been investigated. In this study, the defect formation energy, electronic structure and optical property of TiO₂ doped with Fe, C, and S are investigated in detail using the density functional theory + U method. The calculated band gap (3.21 eV) of TiO₂ anatase agree well with the experimental band gap (3.20 eV). The defect formation energy shows that the co‐ and ternary‐doped systems are thermodynamically favorable under oxygen‐rich condition. Compared to the undoped TiO₂, the absorption edge of the mono‐, co‐, and ternary‐doped TiO₂ is significantly enhanced in the visible light region. We have shown that ternary doping with C, S, and Fe induces a clean band structure without any impurity states. Moreover, the ternary Fe/C/S‐doped TiO₂ exhibit an enhanced photocatalytic activity, a smaller band gap and negative formation energy compared to the mono‐ and co‐doped systems. Moreover, the band edges of Fe/C/S‐doped TiO₂ align well with the redox potentials of water, which shows that the ternary Fe/C/S‐doped TiO₂ is promising photocatalysts to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. These findings rationalize the available experimental results and can assist the design of TiO₂‐based photocatalyst materials.     

Amorphizing of Ag Nanoparticles under Bioinspired One‐step Assembly of Fe3O4‐Ag/rGO Hybrids via Self‐redox Process with Enhanced Activity

Efficient and reusable nanocatalysts fabricated via a facile assembly are highly desirable for the cost‐effective hydrogenation reduction. Inspired by a fishing process with a fishnet, multifunctional nanostructured catalysts are rationally designed to combine interesting features via the self‐redox assembly of Fe₃O₄‐Ag composites on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) (Fe₃O₄‐Ag/rGO). In detail, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) endow the ternary hybrids with superparamagnetism (21.42 emu g^?1), facilitating catalysts to be separated from the reaction system. rGO could provide electron transfer pathways, enhancing catalytic activity. More interestingly, GO and Ag⁺ could behave as oxidants to oxidize Fe²⁺ for the in situ assembly of Fe₃O₄‐Ag/rGO without any addition of reductant/oxidant or organic solvents, and AgNPs endow the ternary hybrids with excellent catalytic behaviour. Meaningfully, the bioinspired process enables the ternary hybrids to possess more abundant micro?/nanopores, larger surface area, and more amorphization. They exhibit exceptional catalytic performance, and could be recycled with excellent activity by means of convenient magnetic separation (at least 7 times). Moreover, the ternary hybrids could degrade methylene blue under UV light due to different valence states of Fe in Fe₃O₄. Therefore, the proposed bioinspired assembly and structure design for hierarchical catalysts would pave a promising way to assemble other catalysts.     

Photocatalytic decomposition of p-nitrophenol over titanium dioxide prepared by reverse microemulsion method using nonionic surfactants with different hydrophilic groups

TiO₂ nanoparticles were prepared using the hydrolysis of titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) in W/O microemulsions consisting of water, nonionic surfactant and cyclohexane. The photocatalytic degradation of p-nitrophenol has been studied by using a batch reactor in the presence of UV light. The crystallite size and crystallinity increase with a decrease of hydrophilic group chain length and an increase of calcinations temperature. In addition, the photocatalytic activity increases with an increase of hydrophilic group length. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

金属卟啉/异烟酸/二氧化钛复合光催化剂制备及其光催化性能研究

合成了四苯基卟啉(H2TPP)及铜卟啉(CuTPP)和锌卟啉(ZnTPP),获得了配合物[Zn(TPP)(DMF)]的晶体。制备了金属卟啉、异烟酸共修饰的二氧化钛复合光催化剂:金属卟啉/异烟酸/二氧化钛,红外光谱和X-射线衍射(XRD)分析结果表明金属卟啉和异烟酸负载于TiO2表面,未改变TiO2的晶型。在光催化降解水中污染物4-硝基苯酚(4-NP)时显示了好的催化效果。     

Facile synthesis of ZnO/CuO/Eu heterostructure photocatalyst for the degradation of industrial effluent

Zinc oxide-based ternary heterostructure ZnO/CuO/Eu(1%, 3%, and 5% of Eu) nanoparticles were effectively produced by employing Vigna unguiculata (cowpea)waste skin extract as fuel in a simple one-pot combustion process. The as-synthesized heterostructure was analyzed by X-ray diffraction studies, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy techniques. Besides, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the as-obtained ternary nanocomposite was evaluated under UV light for the degradation of model organic pollutants including methylene blue (MB), Rhodamine-B (RB), and an effluent sample collected from the textile industrial waste. During this study, the effect of a variety of parameters on the photodegradation activity of the photocatalysts has been thoroughly evaluated, such as light source, catalyst dose, irradiation period, dye concentration, solution pH, etc. Under UV irradiation(100 mins), the ternary ZnO/CuO/Eu photocatalyst demonstrated excellent degradation activity of ～99 and ～93% for MB and RB, respectively, while for the industrial effluent, a decent degradation activity of 42% has been recorded. Further experiments have revealed a pH and concentration-dependent photocatalytic behavior of the heterostructure photocatalyst. Therefore, the results suggest that the heterostructure photocatalyst can be potentially applied for wastewater treatment and other environmental applications.     

Comparison of photocatalysis degradation of 4-nitrophenol using N,S co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles synthesized by two different routes

The photocatalytic degradation of 4-nitrophenol as pollutant in aqueous solutions was investigated under visible light irradiation over two different N?CS-codoped anatase TiO₂ catalysts prepared by sol?Cgel methods using titanium isopropoxide and titanium tetrachloride as two different precursors. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, DRS, EDAX and FT-IR. The effects of various operating parameters including the initial concentration of 4-nitrophenol (2?C14?ppm), solution pH (5?C8) and kinetic reactions were studied. The optimum solution pH was at around 6. For comparison purpose, the photodegradation activity of the commercial Degussa P-25 TiO₂ catalyst has also been studied. The results indicated that photocatalytic activity of N?CS-codoped TiO₂ with titanium isopropoxide as precursor was higher than N?CS-codoped TiO₂ with titanium tetrachloride as precursor and Degussa P-25.     

双功能S-型g-C3N4/Bi/BiVO4复合光催化剂驱动人工碳循环（英文）

长期以来,陆地、大气和海洋之间的碳循环维持了大自然碳平衡.随着密集人类活动和高度工业发展,碳燃料、碳化学品和碳材料广泛应用于各个领域,导致碳排放过量,碳平衡已被严重破坏,碳污染已成为一个严峻问题.例如,持久性有机污染物和挥发性有机化合物过量排放到环境中,威胁着人类的健康和生态平衡.人们陆续开发出各种先进的环境技术,如微生物分解,去除空气和水中的碳基污染物,将有毒有害的有机化合物转化为无害CO2.但是,CO2本身是大气中的主要温室气体,它在大气中的浓度早超过了天然碳循环所能维持的环境自洁净能力.基于先进催化技术建立人工碳循环,将有机污染物矿化生成的CO2进一步转化为有价值的有机化学品(如太阳能燃料)是一种理想的低碳方法.光合作用是自然碳循环中核心过程之一,是降低大气中CO2浓度的关键.受到光合作用启发,科学家们积极开发人工光合成技术推动CO2资源化.人工光合成技术本质上基于半导体光催化过程.半导体光催化过程具有双重作用.一方面,基于有氧光催化氧化过程,有机污染物可以矿化生成无毒CO2.另一方面,基于缺氧光催化还原过程,CO2可以转化为碳氢化合物太阳能燃料.理论上,结合上述两个过程,为建立人工碳循环奠定基础,但是,至今很少有人成功建立有氧氧化-无氧还原串联光催化工艺,实现人工碳循环.难点在于有机污染物的有氧氧化反应和CO2的无氧还原反应的操作条件与反应机制是完全不同的,目前缺乏同时适用于上述两种反应的双功能光催化剂.本文成功构建了具有双功能的g-C3N4/Bi/BiVO4三元复合光催化剂,它不仅在降解有机污染物方面表现出优异的有氧光催化氧化性能(以降解染料罗丹明B为例),而且还表现出优异的缺氧CO2光催化还原性能.此外,基于“一锅法”厌氧耦合氧化-还原反应,g-C3N4/Bi/BiVO4三元复合光催化剂成功实现同步罗丹明B降解与太阳能燃料生成,构建了从毒害有机污染物到高品质太阳燃料的碳循环.结合牺牲剂实验分析与密度泛函理论理论计算,作者提出g-C3N4/Bi/BiVO4复合光催化剂的双功能性与g-C3N4与BiVO4界面内建S-型复合异质结有关.S-型复合异质结既促进界面电荷转移与分离,又维持了最佳电荷氧化还原电位.此外,S型g-C3N4/Bi/BiVO4复合光催化剂中原位生成的具有等离子体效应的Bi纳米颗粒具有双重作用,既促进界面电荷定向转移,又促进可见光吸收.本文开发的新型双功能S-型g-C3N4/Bi/BiVO4复合光催化剂系统为进一步开发集成式有氧-缺氧光催化碳循环反应系统奠定基础.     

TiO2 nanoparticles incorporated with CuInS2 clusters: preparation and photocatalytic activity for degradation of 4-nitrophenol

TiO₂ nanoparticles incorporated with CuInS₂ clusters were prepared in a solvothermal process and characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersion X-ray analysis (EDX). Compared with pure TiO₂ nanoparticles, the TiO₂ nanoparticles incorporated with CuInS₂ clusters display higher photocatalytic activity with 99.9% of degradation ratio of 4-nitrophenol after 2 h irradiation. In order to investigate the effect of the CuInS₂ clusters on the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ nanoparticles, diffuse reflectance UV–Vis spectra (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and photocurrent action spectra were measured. The results indicate that the enhanced photocatalytic activity is probably due to the interface between TiO₂ and CuInS₂ as a trap of the photogenerated electrons to decrease the recombination of electrons and holes.     

One-pot synthesis of CuO/TiO2 nanocomposites for improved photocatalytic hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol under direct sunlight

The excellent photocatalytic hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) with NaBH₄ in the aqueous medium is still a big challenge. Herein, we report a facile one-pot evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) method to synthesize a series of CuO/TiO₂ nanocomposites. The as-synthesized CuO/TiO₂ photocatalysts exhibit remarkable catalytic activity under direct sunlight in selective hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) due to the synergistic interaction of guest copper nanoparticles with host titanium dioxide (TiO₂) species. Especially, 5 wt% CuO/TiO₂ nanocomposite revealed superior reaction rate constant (k) value (0.306 min⁻¹) when compared to 3 wt% CuO/TiO₂ (0.192 min⁻¹) and 7 wt% CuO/TiO₂ (0.240 min⁻¹). Moreover, several characterization techniques (XRD, TEM, N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherm, DRS, and XPS) were executed to deeply investigate the effect of copper content on the bulk and interfacial properties of the catalysts. The characterization results proved that the superior photocatalytic hydrogenation over 5 wt% CuO/TiO₂ catalyst can be ascribed to moderate CuO loading as well as even dispersion of CuO species on the surface of active TiO₂ host, which can largely improve the light absorption ability within visible light region. Besides, the 5 wt% CuO/TiO₂ catalyst exhibits remarkable recyclability and durability, retaining its superior activity (above 95%) up to several repeating cycles, proving its practical applicability for hydrogenation reactions at domestic and industrial levels.     

Design of Single‐Site Photocatalysts by Using Metal–Organic Frameworks as a Matrix

Single‐site photocatalysts generally display excellent photocatalytic activity and considerably high stability compared with homogeneous catalytic systems. A rational structural design of single‐site photocatalysts with isolated, uniform, and spatially separated active sites in a given solid is of prime importance to achieve high photocatalytic activity. Intense attention has been focused on the design and fabrication of single‐site photocatalysts by using porous materials as a platform. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have great potential in the design and fabrication of single‐site photocatalysts due to their remarkable porosity, ultrahigh surface area, extraordinary tailorability, and significant diversity. MOFs can provide an abundant number of binding sites to anchor active sites, which results in a significant enhancement in photocatalytic performance. In this focus review, the development of single‐site MOF photocatalysts that perform important and challenging chemical redox reactions, such as photocatalytic H₂ production, photocatalytic CO₂ conversion, and organic transformations, is summarized thoroughly. Successful strategies for the construction of single‐site MOF photocatalysts are summarized and major challenges in their practical applications are noted.     

Photocatalytic membrane processes for degradation of various types of organic pollutants and micropollutants in water

Degradation tests in a photocatalytic membrane system have been carried out using TiO2 (Degussa P25) as catalyst and humic acid, organic dyes, 4-nitrophenol as pollutants. The influence of UV radiation and initial concentration of pollutant on the photodegradation rate were investigated in discontinuous and continuous systems. Experimental results showed that it is possible to obtain an efficient photocatalytic membrane process, but various parameters (e.g. pH) should be optimised to obtain high reaction rate and high membrane rejection of pollutants and their by-products.     

Photocatalysis: Light energy conversion for the oxidation,disinfection, and decomposition of water

The results of many-year studies of the relationship between the physical properties and photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ and Pt/TiO₂ in photocatalytic purification and disinfection of air and water and water photodecomposition with oxygen evolution are presented. Recommendations are given as to finding the optimal method for platinum supporting on TiO₂ to achieve the highest possible catalytic activity. Multisite kinetic models of the gas-phase oxidation of simple organic substances are considered. Methods for regenerating the photocatalyst after its deactivation in the oxidation of sulfur-containing organic substances are suggested. New data are discussed on the acceleration of air purification by the combination of photocatalytic oxidation with atmospheric electric discharges, the addition of gaseous hydrogen peroxide, and oxidation on photocatalysts existing in the aerosol state. As compared to pure TiO₂, platinated titanium dioxide has a higher capability for disinfection and complete mineralization of microorganisms. Two promising methods for production of hydrogen from water using solar light are presented.     

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.     

Facile synthesis and photocatalytic properties of AgAgClTiO2/rectorite composite

In this study, we prepared a new visible light induced plasmonic photocatalyst AgAgClTiO(2)/rectorite using a facile deposition-photoreduction method. The catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible diffused reflectance spectra (UV-vis DRS), Raman spectra, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The as-prepared AgAgClTiO(2)/rectorite powders exhibited an efficient photocatalytic activity for the degradation of acid orange (ARG) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) under visible light irradiation (λ>400 nm). Moreover, the mechanism suggested that the high photocatalytic activity is due to the charge separation and the surface plasmon resonance of metallic Ag particles in the region of visible light. The active species measurements suggested that HO() is not the dominant photooxidant. Direct hole transfers and O(2)(-) were involved as the active species in the photocatalytic reaction.     

Fabrication of Cu/rGO/MoS2 nanohybrid with energetic visible-light response for degradation of rhodamine B

A novel visible-light-driven Cu/rGO/MoS₂ (CRM) ternary nanostructure as a photocatalyst with high catalytic activity towards environmental purification using solar energy was successfully synthesized through a facile solvothermal method. It was found that the nanoflower structure of MoS₂ increased the number of its exposed edges. Meanwhile rGO as a catalytic substrate played a role of charge-carrier channel to improve the separation of holes and electrons, which originated from the band gap absorption of MoS₂. The content of Cu in photocatalyst affected photocatalytic performance obviously. And the optimal 30% Cu/rGO/MoS₂ possessed the highest photocatalytic performance, which could be attributed to the improved separation of charges and synergistic effects among Cu, rGO and MoS₂. The removal efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) over CRM was up to 100% in 5 min. CRM as a photocatalyst maintained good reproducibility and stability during 3 times of the recycle experiments. These results indicate CRM is a promising photocatalyst for degrading organic pollutants in wastewater.     

Ag/Ag3PO4/g-C3N4三元复合光催化剂的制备及其可见光驱动下的光催化活性增强

报道了一种新型Ag/Ag₃PO₄/g-C₃N₄三元复合光催化剂的制备及其半导体界面处的快速载流子分离所引起的光催化活性的显著增强效应。通过X射线衍射,扫描电子显微镜,紫外-可见吸收光谱以及光致发光光谱等就其晶体结构、形貌、组分、光学吸收以及载流子的快速分离行为进行了表征与分析。以罗丹明B作为模型化合物分子,研究发现,所制备的Ag/Ag₃PO₄/g-C₃N₄三元复合光催化剂在可见光照射下表现出比Ag₃PO₄以及Ag₃PO₄/g-C₃N₄二元催化剂更为优异的光催化活性。研究认为,Ag₃PO₄表面尺寸约为40 nm的Ag纳米粒子在可见光下受激所产生的等离子表面共振效应以及Ag₃PO₄与g-C₃N₄界面处所形成的类似异质结结构对所制备的Ag/Ag₃PO₄/g-C₃N₄三元复合光催化剂光催化活性的显著增强起到重要作用。     

Preparation and photocatalytic activity of Sb2S3/Bi2S3 doped TiO2 from complex precursor via gel-hydrothermal treatment

Sb₂S₃/Bi₂S₃ doped TiO₂ were prepared with the coordination compounds [M(S₂CNEt)₃] (M=Sb, Bi; S₂CNEt=pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate) as precursors via gel-hydrothermal techniques. The doped TiO₂ were characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS and UV-vis diffuse reflectance means. The photocatalyst based on doped TiO₂ for photodecolorization of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) was examined. The optimal Bi₂S₃/Sb₂S₃ content, pH and different doped techniques have been investigated. Photocatalytic tests reveal that M₂S₃ doped TiO₂ via the gel-hydrothermal route performs better photocatalytic activity for photodegradation reaction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP).