One-step fabrication and high photocatalytic activity of porous TiO2 hollow aggregates by using a low-temperature hydrothermal method without templates

Porous TiO2 hollow aggregates have been synthesized on a large scale by means of a simple hydrothermal method without using any templates. The as-prepared products were characterized by means of field emission scanning electron microscopy, XRD, TEM, nitrogen adsorption, UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and FTIR spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the aggregates was demonstrated through the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B. Structural characterization indicates that the porous TiO2 aggregates are 500-800 nm in diameter and display mesoporous structure. The average pore sizes and BET surface areas of the aggregates are 12 nm and 168 m2 g-1, respectively. Optical adsorption investigations show that the aggregates possess an optical band-gap energy of 3.36 eV. The as-prepared products were substantially more effective photocatalysts than the commercially available photocatalyst P25. The dye degradation rate of the porous TiO2 hollow aggregates is more than twice that of P25. The high photoactivities of the aggregates can be attributed to the combined effects of several factors, namely, large surface areas, the existence of mesopores, and the high band-gap energy. In addition, the as-prepared products can be easily recycled.     

Z型复合催化剂g-C3N4/Vo-ZnO光催化活性的研究

随着科学技术的不断进步和经济的快速发展,人类对自然资源的需求量越来越大,在开发利用自然资源的同时,大量的有机污染物也随之进入自然环境.这些物质不仅污染环境、破坏生态,更对人类的生活和健康带来了巨大的威胁.研究证实,半导体光催化剂在光照条件下可以破坏有机污染物的分子结构,最终将其氧化降解成CO2、H2O或其它不会对环境产生二次污染的小分子,从而净化水质.近年来,有关光催化降解有机污染物的报道日益增多. ZnO作为一种广泛研究的光催化降解材料,因其无毒、低成本和高效等特点而具有一定的应用前景.但是ZnO较大的禁带宽度(3.24 eV)导致其只能吸收紫外光部分,而对可见光的吸收效率很小,极大地制约了其实际应用.除此之外, ZnO受光激发产生的电子-空穴分离效率较低、光催化过程中的光腐蚀严重也是制约其实际应用的重要因素.为了提高ZnO的光催化活性和稳定性,本文合成了用g-C3N4修饰的氧空位型ZnO(g-C3N4/Vo-ZnO)复合催化剂,在有效调控ZnO半导体能带结构的同时,通过负载一定量的g-C3N4以降低光生电子-空穴对的复合速率和反应过程中ZnO的光腐蚀,增强催化剂的光催化活性和稳定性.本文首先合成前驱体Zn(OH)F,然后焙烧三聚氰胺和Zn(OH)F的混合物得到g-C3N4/Vo-ZnO复合催化剂,并采用电子顺磁共振波谱(EPR)、紫外-可见光谱(UV-vis)、高分辨透射电镜(HRTEM)和傅里叶变换红外光谱(FT-IR)等表征了它们的结构及其性质. EPR结果表明,ZnO焙烧后具有一定浓度的氧空位,导致其禁带宽度由3.24 eV降至3.09 eV,因而提高了ZnO对可见光的吸收效率. UV-vis结果显示, Vo-ZnO复合g-C3N4后对可见光的吸收显著增强. HRTEM和FT-IR结果均表明, g-C3N4纳米片和Vo-ZnO颗粒之间通过共价键形成了强耦合,这对g-C3N4/Vo-ZnO复合催化剂中光生载流子的传送和光生电子-空穴对的有效分离起到重要作用.可见光催化降解甲基橙(MO)和腐殖酸(HA)的实验进一步证明, g-C3N4/Vo-ZnO复合材料具有较好的光催化活性,优于单一的g-C3N4或Vo-ZnO材料.同时还发现, g-C3N4的负载量对光催化活性有显著影响,当氮化碳的负载量为1 wt%时,所制材料具有最高的光催化活性：可见光照射60 min后,MO降解率可达到93%, HA降解率为80%.复合材料光催化活性的增强一方面是因为氧空位的形成减小了ZnO的禁带宽度,使得ZnO对可见光的吸收能力大大增强;另一方面, g-C3N4和Vo-ZnO的能带符合了Z型催化机理所需的有效能带匹配,使得光生电子-空穴对得到了有效的分离,从而提高了光催化活性.降解MO的循环实验表明, g-C3N4/Vo-ZnO催化剂具有很好的稳定性且不容易发生光腐蚀.与此同时,我们对比了用不同方法制备的g-C3N4/ZnO材料的催化性能.结果显示,本文制备的g-C3N4/Vo-ZnO复合材料具有更好的降解效率.总体而言,对于降解有机污染物, g-C3N4/Vo-ZnO可能是一个更为有效可行的催化体系.此外,本文也为设计与制备其他新型光催化剂提供了一条新的思路.     

A nano-engineered graphene/carbon nitride hybrid for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

A metal-free photocatalytic hydrogen evolution system was successfully fabricated using heteroatom doped graphene materials as electron-transfer co-catalysts and carbon nitride as a semiconductor. The catalytic role of graphene is significantly dependent on the heteroatom dopant of the graphene, such as O, S, B, N doped/undoped graphene co-catalysts, and N-graphene shows the best catalytic hydrogen evolution rate.     

Ag nanoparticles loaded on porous graphitic carbon nitride with enhanced photocatalytic activity for degradation of phenol

Highly efficient photocatalyst of visible-light-driven Ag nanoparticles loaded on porous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) was prepared by the reduction of Ag ions on porous g-C₃N₄. The obtained Ag/porous g-C₃N₄ composite products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-vis diffuse reflection spectra (DRS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The results demonstrated that a homogeneous distribution of Ag NPs of 10 nm was attached onto the surface of the porous g-C₃N₄. The prepared Ag/porous g-C₃N₄ samples were applied for catalyzing the degradation of phenol in water under visible light irradiation. Porous g-C₃N₄ demonstrated an excellent support for the formation and dispersion of small uniform Ag NPs. When the weight percentage of Ag reaches 5%, the nanohybrid exhibits superior photocatalytic activities compared to bulk g-C₃N₄, porous g-C₃N₄, and 2% Ag/porous g-C₃N₄ hybrids. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is due to the synergic effect between Ag and porous g-C₃N₄, which suppressed the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs.     

热电子驱动氧化钨/石墨化氮化碳S-型异质结实现宽光谱光催化产氢活性

近年来,等离子体材料因具有独特的局域表面等离子体共振(LSPR)效应,可实现可见光到近红外范围内光利用,因此引起人们的广泛关注.利用等离子体材料(贵金属或重掺杂半导体材料)合理构建异质结构,可以同时拓宽光催化剂的光谱响应范围,抑制载流子的复合,从而提高光催化活性.在已报道的等离子体半导体中,WO3–x具有无毒、价廉以及...     

Etching graphitic carbon nitride by acid for enhanced photocatalytic activity toward degradation of 4-nitrophenol

Graphitic carbon nitride （g-C3N4） with high photocatalytic activity toward degradation of 4-nitrophenol under visible light irradiation was prepared by HCI etching followed by ammonia neutralization. The structure, morphology, surface area, and photocatalytic properties of the prepared samples were studied. After treatment, the size of the g-C3N4 decreased from several micrometers to several hundred nanometers, and the specific area of the g-C3N4 increased from 11.5 m2/g to 115 m2/g. Meanwhile, the photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4 was significantly improved after treatment toward degradation of 4- nitrophenol under visible light irradiation. The degradation rate constant of the small particle g-C3N4 is 5.7 times of that of bulk g-C3N4, which makes it a promising visible light photocatalyst for future applications for water treatment and environmental remediation.     

One-step fabrication of mesoporous sulfur-doped carbon nitride for highly selective photocatalytic transformation of native lignin to monophenolic compounds

Photocatalytic selective transform native lignin into valuable chemicals is an attractive but challenging task. Herein, we report a mesoporous sulfur-doped carbon nitride (MSCN-0.5) which is prepared by a facile one-step thermal condensation strategy. It is highly active and selective for the cleavage Cα?C_β bond in β?O?4 lignin model compound under visible light radiation at room temperature, achieving 99% substrate conversion and 98% C_α?C_β bond cleavage selectivity. Mechanistic studies revealed that the C_β?H bond of lignin model compounds activated by holes and generate key C_β radical intermediates, further induced the C_α?C_β bond cleavage by superoxide anion radicals (^?O₂^?) to produce aromatic oxygenates. Waste Camellia oleifera shell (WCOS) was taken as a representative to further understand the reaction mechanisms on native lignin. 33.2 mg of monophenolic compounds (Vanillin accounted for 22% and Syringaldehyde for 34%) can be obtained by each gram of WCOS lignin, which is 2.5 times as that of the pristine carbon nitride. The present work offers useful guidance for designing metal-free heterogeneous photocatalysts for C_α?C_β bond cleavage to harvest monophenolic compounds.     

类石墨碳修饰提高ZnO纳米棒阵列光催化活性和光稳定性的研究

半导体光催化是一种理想的太阳能化学转化绿色技术,可以实现水分解制氢和CO2光还原制备碳氢化合物燃料.氧化锌 (ZnO) 作为一种直接带隙半导体材料,一方面具有性能优异、价格低廉、易制备等优点; 另一方面因光腐蚀而不稳定,大大限制了该材料的实际应用.本文提出了一种简单易行的类石墨碳修饰方法,可以有效提高 ZnO 用于CO2光还原的光催化活性和稳定性.首先采用水热法在金属锌片基底上生长 ZnO 纳米棒阵列 (ZnO-NRA),然后通过葡萄糖水热法进行不同含量的类石墨碳 (C-x) 修饰,形成 ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构,同步实现碳包覆和碳掺杂.X 射线衍射结果表明,ZnO 纳米棒及ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构都具有良好的纤锌矿型 (Wurtzite) 结构; 而拉曼散射则清楚地证实了类石墨碳的存在.扫描电子显微观察显示,生长的 ZnO 纳米棒长度大约 2-5 μm,直径为 400-700 nm,沿方向[0001]生长,端部由六个规则的 (103)晶面组成,进一步直观佐证了 ZnO 的典型纤锌矿型结构特征.透射电子显微分析结果表明,ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构中类石墨碳包覆层厚度大约为 8 nm.ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构的 X 射线光电子谱分析结果验证了 C-C,C-O 和 C=O键的存在与碳的包覆层相对应; 而 C-O-Zn键的出现则是由于碳在 ZnO 中掺杂所引起.从紫外-可见吸收谱上可观察到ZnO 的典型吸收带边位置约为 385 nm,而碳的包覆和掺杂导致 ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构的吸收带边发生红移,并且吸收背底明显提高.电化学阻抗谱测试结果清楚地显示,ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构比单纯 ZnO-NRA 的电化学阻抗明显降低,说明类石墨碳包覆层大幅度提高了电导性能,从而有利于光生载流子的分离和传输.荧光分析结果也表明,与单纯的 ZnO-NRA 相比,ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构的荧光强度大幅度下降,进一步证实了 ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构比单纯的 ZnO-NRA更有利于光生载流子的分离和传输.光电化学测试结果表明,ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构的瞬态光电流 4 倍于单纯的ZnO-NRA,而 CO2 光还原性能测试也得到一致的结果.长时间多循环 CO2 光还原实验证实,ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构具有稳定的光催化活性和极好的光稳定性.综上,我们利用一种简单易行的水热法进行类石墨碳修饰,成功开发了 ZnO-NRA/C-x 纳米复合结构,该结构因其优异的光生电子和空穴的分离和迁移性能,从而具有显著提升的CO2光还原活性和光稳定性.本工作证明,类石墨碳修饰是一种可以广泛借鉴的有效提升半导体材料光催化活性和光稳定性的可行方法.     

Preparation of carbon nitride nanoparticles by nanoprecipitation method with high yield and enhanced photocatalytic activity

As an emerging 2D conjugated material,graphitic carbon nitride(CN) has attracted great research attention as important catalytic medium for transforming solar energy.Nanostructure modulation of CN is an effective way to improve catalytic activities and has been extensively investigated,but remains challenging due to complex processes,time consuming or low yield.Here,taking advantage of recent discovered good solvents for CN,a nanoprecipitation approach using poor solvents is proposed for preparation of CN nanoparticles(CN NPs).With simple processes of CN dissolution and precipitation,we can quickly synthesize CN NPs(^40 nm) with a yield of up to 50%,the highest one to the best of our knowledge.As an example of potential applications,the as-prepared CN NPs were applied to photocatalytic degradation of dyes with an evident boosted performance up to 2.5 times.This work would open a new way for batch preparation of nanostructured CN and pave its large-scale industrial applications.     

前驱体改性法制备薄层多孔富氨基的石墨相氮化碳用于光催化降解RhB和光催化制氢

半导体光催化是一种利用半导体将太阳能转换为高能化学能的绿色技术,在可再生清洁能源生产和污染物修复领域有着巨大的应用前景.石墨相氮化碳(g-C3N4)作为一种环境友好的非金属半导体,因其制备工艺简单、来源丰富、热稳定性和化学稳定性好、可见光吸收范围及特殊的电子性能而受到广泛关注.但一般常用氮源前驱体如二氰二胺、三聚氰胺等...     

Construction of hydroxyethyl cellulose/silica/graphitic carbon nitride solid foam for adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of dyes

In the present study, novel hydroxyethyl cellulose/silica/graphitic carbon nitride (HEC/SiO₂/C₃N₄) solid foams with hierarchical porous structure have been successfully fabricated with gas bubbles template combination with freeze-drying method. Compared with HEC/SiO₂/C₃N₄-50 without gas foaming, the HEC/SiO₂/C₃N₄-80 with air bubbles template had larger pore volume and higher porosity and specific surface area, which not only exhibited faster adsorption rate, but also presented higher saturated adsorption capacity towards methylene blue (MB) and methyl violet (MV). From the experimental results, it was found that HEC/SiO₂/C₃N₄-80 had high adsorption capacities of 132.45 mg/g and 206.62 mg/g for MB and MV, respectively, and the adsorption process fitted the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and pseudo-second-order rate equation. Additionally, benefiting from its higher adsorption capacity and light-harvesting capability, HEC/SiO₂/C₃N₄-80 exhibited relatively higher photocatalytic degradation efficiencies against MB and MV under visible light irradiation than HEC/SiO₂/C₃N₄-50. More importantly, compared with the bare g-C₃N₄ powder, the HEC/SiO₂/C₃N₄ solid foams could be more easily separated from the treated water, which facilitated their recycle and reuse. Therefore, the good adsorption capacity, high photocatalytic degradation activity and recyclability of the HEC/SiO₂/C₃N₄ solid foam made it a promising candidate for the removal of organic dyes from wastewater.     

石墨相氮化碳的液相合成及光催化性能研究进展

石墨相氮化碳是类石墨层状聚合物材料,因其特殊的能带和电子结构,近年来成为功能材料研究领域的热点.液相合成法具有温和多变的特性,是石墨相氮化碳合成的重要途径.本文作者就现阶段液相介质合成氮化碳的主要方法进行了介绍,主要包括液相电沉积、脉冲激光烧蚀、溶剂热合成法等.介绍了不同液相介质和合成参数对制备氮化碳材料晶型、形貌等的影响.同时就溶剂热合成氮化碳在光催化领域的研究进展进行了总结.在未来的研究中,液相合成法将极大的丰富氮化碳材料结构优化的途径,有助于推动多功能聚合物材料的深入研究.     

Dual-ion hybrid supercapacitor:Integration of Li-ion hybrid supercapacitor and dual-ion battery realized by porous graphitic carbon

Lithium-ion hybrid supercapacitors(Li-HSCs) and dual-ion batteries(DIBs) are two types of energy storage devices that have attracted extensive research interest in recent years. Li-HSCs and DIBs have similarities in device structure, tendency for ion migration, and energy storage mechanisms at the negative electrode. However, these devices have differences in energy storage mechanisms and working potentials at the positive electrode. Here, we first realize the integration of a Li-HSC and a DIB to form a dual-ion hybrid supercapacitor(DIHSC), by employing mesocarbon microbead(MCMB)-based porous graphitic carbon(PGC) with a partially graphitized structure and porous structure as a positive electrode material. The MCMB-PGC-based DIHSC exhibits a novel dual-ion battery-capacitor hybrid mechanism: it exhibits excellent electronic double-layer capacitor(EDLC) behavior like a Li-HSC in the low-middle wide potential range and anion intercalation/de-intercalation behavior like a DIB in the high-potential range. Two types of mechanisms are observed in the electrochemical characterization process, and the energy density of the new DIHSC is significantly increased.     

Analysis of triacylglycerols on porous graphitic carbon by high temperature liquid chromatography

The retention behaviour of several triacylglycerols (TAGs) and fats on Hypercarb, a porous graphitic carbon column (PGC), was investigated in liquid chromatography (LC) under isocratic elution mode with an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD). Mixtures of chloroform/isopropanol were selected as mobile phase for a suitable retention time to study the influence of temperature. The retention was different between PGC and non-aqueous reversed phase liquid chromatography (NARP-LC) on octadecyl phase. The retention of TAGs was investigated in the interval 30-70 degrees C. Retention was greatly affected by temperature: it decreases as the column temperature increases. Selectivity of TAGs was also slightly influenced by the temperature. Moreover, this chromatographic method is compatible with a mass spectrometer (MS) detector by using atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI): same fingerprints of cocoa butter and shea butter were obtained with LC-ELSD and LC-APCI-MS. These preliminary results showed that the PGC column could be suitable to separate quickly triacylglycerols in high temperature conditions coupled with ELSD or MS detector.     

Self assembled graphene/carbon nanotube/polystyrene hybrid nanocomposite by in situ microemulsion polymerization

Self-assembled graphene/carbon nanotube (CNT)/polystyrene hybrid nanocomposites were prepared by water-based in situ microemulsion polymerization. The resulting nanocomposites were used as filler in a host polystyrene matrix to form composite films. An admixture of the two types of carbon fillers provided better improvement in the thermal and mechanical properties compared to the neat polymer. The sheet resistance decreased progressively due to the formation of an extended conjugation network with the CNT bridging the gap between the graphene sheets coated with polymer nanoparticles. The details of the analysis are presented.     

One-step route to the fabrication of highly porous polyaniline nanofiber films by using PS-b-PVP diblock copolymers as templates

We report a new method to control both the nucleation and growth of highly porous polyaniline (PANI) nanofiber films using porous poly(styrene-block-2-vinylpyridine) diblock copolymer (PS-b-P2VP) films as templates. A micellar thin film composed of P2VP spheres within a PS matrix is prepared by spin coating a PS-b-P2VP micellar solution onto substrates. The P2VP domains are swollen in a selective solvent of acetic acid, which results in the formation of pores in the block copolymer film. PANI is then deposited onto the substrates modified with such a porous film using electrochemical methods. During the deposition, the nucleation and growth of PANI occur only at the pores of the block copolymer film. After the continued growth of PANI by the electrochemical deposition, a porous PANI nanofiber film is obtained.     

One-step sol-gel preparation and enhanced photocatalytic activity of porous polyoxometalate-tantalum pentoxide nanocomposites

Porous polyoxometalate-tantalum pentoxide (POM/Ta(2)O(5), POM=H(3)PW(12)O(40) and H(6)P(2)W(18)O(62)) nanocomposites with different Keggin or Dawson unit loading levels (5.6-15.3%) were successfully prepared via hydrolysis of TaCl(5) in the presence of POM without the addition of any structure-directing reagent. Several characterization techniques, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis/DRS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), (31)P magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis were combined to confirm the structure integrity of the Keggen or Dawson unit in as-prepared composites and to investigate the optical absorption properties, morphology, and surface textural properties of the composites. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the composites compared with that of solitary POM units or Ta(2)O(5) was evaluated through decomposition of salicylic acid (SA) and rhodamine B (RB) under visible-light excitation. The large BET surface area (129.7-188.8 m(2) g(-1)) and porous structure, small particle size (20-25 nm), homogeneous dispersion of the POM unit within Ta(2)O(5) framework, decreased bandgap energy, and strong electron acceptance ability of POM can explain this high photocatalytic activity of the composites.     

One-step synthesis of Pt nanoparticles/reduced graphene oxide composite with enhanced electrochemical catalytic activity

A one-step electrochemical approach for synthesis of Pt nanoparticles/reduced graphene oxide(Pt/RGO) was demonstrated.Graphene oxide(GO) and chloroplatinic acid were reduced to RGO and Pt nanoparticles(Pt NPs) simultaneously,and Pt/RGO composite was deposited on the fluorine doped SnO 2 glass during the electrochemical reduction.The Pt/RGO composite was characterized by field emission-scanning electron microscopy,Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,which confirmed the reduction of GO and chloroplatinic acid and the formation of Pt/RGO composite.In comparison with Pt NPs and RGO electrodes obtained by the same method,results of cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements showed that the composite electrode had higher catalytic activity and charge transfer rate.In addition,the composite electrode had proved to have better performance in DSSCs than the Pt NPs electrode,which showed the potential application in energy conversion.     

Bifunctional copper modified graphitic carbon nitride catalysts for efficient tetracycline removal: Synergy of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation

In order to efficiently remove tetracycline in wastewater through the synergistic effect of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation, a series of novel composite materials (Cu doped g-C₃N₄) were synthesized by two-pot hydrothermal method. It was found that the composite materials with optimized ratio (Cu/CN-1) displayed outstanding adsorption and photocatalytic performance as compared with pure g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst. The removal efficiency of tetracycline (TC, 50 mg/L) reached almost 99% within 30 min by Cu/CN-1 through the synergy of adsorption and photocatalysis under visible-light irradiation, which was the highest removal efficiency ever reported. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms of TC on the Cu/CN-1 were well fitted with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir model, respectively. Moreover, it was confirmed that the main effective reactive groups were O₂⁻ and h⁺ in photocatalytic process. The Cu/CN-1 exhibited high stability and excellent reusability after five cycle experiments. Finally, the mechanism of synergy between Cu and g-C₃N₄ was proposed: on the one hand, the decoration of Cu particles significantly increased the adsorption sites of Cu/CN-1 to tetracycline, on the other hand, the modification of Cu particles effectively inhibits charge recombination and broadens the visible light absorption range of the photocatalyst.This study provided a promising photocatalyst to be used for TC removal in the actual wastewater.