离子刻蚀法制备具有高效催化性能的m-Bi_2O_4/BiOCl p-n异质结催化剂（英文）

光催化技术作为一种绿色的环境修复方法而备受关注,它直接利用太阳光作为能源,可有效地降解有机污染物.铋系化合物具有化学稳定性强、抑制光腐蚀、无毒和来源广泛等优点,被认为是一种环境友好的光催化剂,广泛用于降解染料、苯酚和其他有机污染物.BiOCl具有独特的内部结构,可形成内电场促进电子和空穴的移动,抑制其复合.但是BiOCl本身带隙能过大,只能被紫外光激发,对光的利用率较低,限制了其在环境治理中的应用.近两年来发现,m-Bi_2O_4带隙能小,可吸收大波长的可见光,催化性能好.为充分发挥m-Bi_2O_4的优异性质,改善BiOCl的性能,本文将BiOCl与m-Bi_2O_4复合制得新型催化剂,降低催化剂的带隙能,增强对光的吸收,提高量子效率,促进光生载流子的分离,抑制电子-空穴复合,从而提高催化剂性能,加速降解反应进程.本文通过离子刻蚀法制备具有p-n异质结的m-Bi_2O_4/BiOCl复合催化剂,通过调节HCl的加入量制得不同比例的催化剂,并考察了其在可见光下催化降解MO(甲基橙)的性能.结果表明,m-Bi_2O_4/BiOCl复合催化剂在可见光下表现出优异的光催化降解MO和四环素的性能,反应10内min可降解95%的MO,反应150 min内四环素的降解率为85.5%;该复合催化剂对MO和四环素的光降解效率分别是纯BiOCl的52.3和4.9倍.活性自由基捕获实验表明,空穴在光催化降解过程中起最主要的作用,其次是超氧自由基,羟基自由基对降解反应也起到一定的作用.采用XRD,SEM,EDS,TEM,SAED,FT-IR,Raman,XPS,BET,UV-vis和光电流等表征方法分析了催化剂的结构、形貌、化学组成、元素价态、孔结构、带隙能、光学性质和载流子复合效率.结果表明,与BiOCl的斜四方体相比,m-Bi_2O_4/BiOCl复合催化剂呈现纳米片状结构,氯离子进入晶格的内部,颜色也由BiOCl原来的深褐色变为黄色.m-Bi_2O_4/BiOCl为介孔结构,比表面积为112.90 m~2/g,其吸收波长红移,由紫外光扩展至可见光区域,带隙能也由3.2降低为1.87 eV,能带弯曲形成p-n异质结,提高了电子-空穴的转移效率,抑制其复合;m-Bi_2O_4/BiOCl的光电流密度高于m-Bi_2O_4和BiOCl,电子-空穴的分离效率更高,因而其催化性能更优越.     

La2O3掺杂TiO2光催化剂的制备和性能

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了La2O3掺杂TiO2纳米光催化剂，并通过XRD、TEM、BET和XPS等手段进行了表征．掺入La2O3后，阻止了TiO2从锐钛矿晶型向金红石晶型的转变，使TiO2的粒径减小，比表面积增大．以甲基橙为光催化降解反应模型化合物，考察了光催化剂的活性．测定了甲基橙在纯TiO2和La2O3掺杂TiO2光催化剂上的吸附常数．考察了pH、H2O2对降解性能的影响．讨论了光催化活性与催化剂性质的关系．     

异质结型AgI/AgBr/TiO2催化剂的制备及其光催化性能

首先以沉积-沉淀法制备AgBr/TiO₂复合催化剂,然后采用离子交换法制备出新型的异质结型AgI/AgBr/TiO₂光催化剂.利用XRD和UV-Vis对AgI/AgBr/TiO₂光催化剂进行了表征.以甲基橙为染料模型,在可见光条件下(500 W、λ>420 nm)研究了AgI的含量对AgI/AgBr/TiO₂催化活性的影响.结果表明,AgI拓展了催化剂的吸收光谱范围;AgI生成量为AgBr的5%时,AgI/AgBr/TiO₂的催化活性最高.AgI/AgBr异质结的形成有利于光生电子和空穴的分离,提高AgI/AgBr/TiO₂的催化活性.     

?-Bi2O3/BiOI异质结的制备及其有效去除有机染料的光催化作用

窄带半导体氧化铋(Bi2O3,带宽介于2.1-2.8 eV)因其强的可见光吸收和无毒性等特性而一直被认为是潜在的可见光催化材料.通常, Bi2O3具有a,b,g,d,e和w等六种晶型,其中,a,b和d-Bi2O3具有催化可见光降解有机物的活性.可是,由于其光生电子-空穴复合较快, Bi2O3的光催化活性还很低,远不够实际应用.将半导体与另一种物质如贵金属或其他半导体复合形成异质结是一种有效控制光生电子-空穴复合,提高光催化活性的方法.目前已成功开发了许多Bi2O3基的异质结光催化材料.尤其是通过用卤化氢酸与a-Bi2O3直接作用原位形成的a-Bi2O3与铋的卤氧化合物BiOX (X = Cl, Br或I)的异质结在提高光催化活性和制备方面显示了优越性.然而,具有更强可见光吸收的b-Bi2O3(带宽约2.3 eV)与卤氧化合物的异质结光催化性能却鲜有报道.本文通过用HI原位处理b-Bi2O3形成b-Bi2O3/BiOI异质结.该异质结表现较纯b-Bi2O3和BiOI更高的降解甲基橙(MO)可见光催化活性.通过多晶X射线衍射(XRD)、紫外漫散射(UV-DRS)、扫描电镜、透射电镜(TEM)、X光电子能谱(XPS)和荧光(PL)等手段研究了b-Bi2O3/BiOI异质结,并提出其高催化活性的机理. XRD结果显示,用HI原位处理b-Bi2O3可形成BiOI相,并且随着HI使用量增加,混合物中的BiOI相逐渐增多. HRTEM结果进一步表明,在混合物中的b-Bi2O3和BiOI都是高度结晶态,且两相之间有很好的接触,从而有利于两相之间的电荷移动.根据UV-DRS和ahv =A(hv –Eg)n/2等公式,计算出了b-Bi2O3和BiOI带隙分别为2.28和1.77 eV,以及两种半导体的导带和价带位置. b-Bi2O3的导带和价带位置分别为0.31和2.59 eV,而BiOI的导带和价带位置分别为0.56和2.33 eV.这样两种半导体能带结构呈蜂窝状,显然不适合光生电子-空穴的分离.然而, XPS测定结果显示,b-Bi2O3和BiOI相互接触形成异质结后,b-Bi2O3相的电子向BiOI相发生了明显的移动.根据文献报道,当两种费米能级不同的半导体接触时,电子会从费米能级高的半导体移向费米能级低的半导体,直至建立新的费米能级.b-Bi2O3被报道是典型的n型半导体,其费米能级在上靠近其导带位置;而BiOI是典型的p型半导体,其费米能级在下靠近其价带位置.基于此,我们提出了b-Bi2O3/BiOI异质结高催化活性的机理.当b-Bi2O3与BiOI形成异质结时,由于b-Bi2O3的费米能级较BiOI的高,因而电子从b-Bi2O3转向BiOI,直至新的费米能级形成.因此电子在两相之间移动导致了b-Bi2O3能带结构整体下移,以及BiOI能带结构整体上移,使得新形成的BiOI导带和价带位置高于b-Bi2O3的.当该异质结在可见光的照射下,光生电子将移至b-Bi2O3的导带,而空穴会移至BiOI的价带,最终达到了光生电子-空穴分离的效果,产生高的光催化活性. PL测试也证实了b-Bi2O3/BiOI异质结具有更长的光生电子-空穴寿命.     

Au/TiO2光催化剂的制备及其催化性能

采用改进的等体积浸渍法、光化学沉积法分别制备了不同Au担载量的Au／TiO2光催化剂,以甲基橙的光催化降解反应作为模型反应,考察了金的担载量、预处理条件、制备方法等因素对其光催化性能的影响,以漫反射紫外一可见光谱（DRS）分析了不同金担载量的Au／TiO2光催化剂的光谱特征。结果显示,适当担载量的Au可显著提高TiO2的光催化活性,以改进的等体积浸渍法制备的0．8％Au／TiO2催化剂的光催化活性最高。DRS结果显示,金的担载对TiO2的光谱特征没有影响。     

BiOCl/In2S3复合可见光催化剂制备及性能研究

氯氧化铋（BiOCl）较大的禁带宽度使得其只能对紫外光产生响应,严重制约了其进一步光催化应用。为实现BiOCl对可见光的利用,以In2S3为可见光光敏剂,并基于高效实用的机械研磨手段构建BiOCl/In2S3复合可见光催化剂。通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线衍射(EDS)、X射线衍射(XRD)、红外光谱(FT-IR)和紫外-可见漫反射光谱(UV-Vis DRS)等方法对催化剂的形貌和结构进行表征。选择盐酸四环素（TC）可见光催化降解为评价模型,系统研究了BiOCl/In2S3复合比例对光催化活性的影响。结果表明两者复合比例为1:1时具有最佳的光催化活性,在可见光照射下对TC的降解效率高达91.4%,且经3次循环降解效率仍保持在87.3%。机理研究表明,In2S3被可见光激发产生电子注入BiOCl的导带(CB),能有效提升载流子的分离效率,而h+和?O2-是光降解过程中的主要活性物质。该项研究工作充分表明了In2S3对BiOCl的高效光敏活性,展示了物理复合法在新型高效可见光催化体系构建中的重要意义。     

原位制备SrSb2O6/g-C3N4新型二维异质结用于可见光催化降解四环素的研究

本文采用高温固相原位制备新型二维SrSb2O6/g-C3N4异质结光催化复合材料,并将其用于可见光催化降解四环素.通过XRD和FT-IR谱对其结构进行表征.光催化降解实验表明,异质结复合材料较母体g-C3N4和SrSb2O6而言,光催化效率均得到了提升.其中,异质结样品SSO-CN-2对四环素溶液具有最优的光催化降解效...     

GO负载Bi2WO6二元复合光催化材料的制备及其表征研究

本实验通过水热法合成不同比例的氧化石墨烯(GO)/Bi₂WO₆新型二元复合光催化材料.利用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)及透射电子显微镜等技术来研究样品的结构和形貌.在可见光下,4%GO/Bi₂WO₆复合材料光催化降解效率最好,达到了72%.本实验以石墨烯为碳源,制备出二元复合材料,将其引入光催化体系,提升半导体光催化材料对目标物的富集能力,为复合光催化材料的制备提供了新思路.以期获得高可见光催化活性的GO/Bi₂WO₆二元复合材料并将其应用于更多领域,同时对环境中的污染物也实现了高效、稳定的去除,为研究水体环境污染的治理奠定了一定的理论与实践基础.     

核壳结构p-n异质结复合光催化剂BiFeO3@TiO2的制备及其在可见光催化降解中的应用

化石燃料的迅速消耗导致环境污染与能源危机日益加剧.太阳能高效利用与转换是解决该难题的有效途径之一.在众多光催化剂中,TiO2因其高催化活性、高稳定性、低毒性以及低成本等优势而普遍受到关注,但TiO2存在着带隙过宽而无法利用可见光的缺陷,严重制约了其在光催化方向的实际应用.核壳型复合纳米材料具有较大的比表面积、较高的光吸收能力以及所吸附的污染物分子易于从吸附面扩散到光致降解面等特点,而表现出较强的有机污染物吸附性能以及良好的光催化活性.以磁体材料为核将TiO2包覆于磁体表面,可以制备具有磁分离特性的磁载光催化剂.而铁酸铋作为一种在室温下同时具有铁电性和铁磁性的钙钛矿型材料,由于其较窄的带宽(2.1 eV)在可见光催化氧化方面也受到了极大的关注.本文首先通过柠檬酸自燃烧法制备了可磁性分离的BiFeO3粉体,再以水解沉淀法将TiO2包裹在BiFeO3前驱体上形成了不同质量比(1:1,1:2,2:1)的核壳结构的BiFeO3@TiO2复合粉体,并以甲基紫为例,对其在紫外光和可见光照射下的光催化性能分别展开了研究.结果表明,BiFeO3@TiO2复合粉体的光催化性能较单独的BiFeO3或TiO2均有所提升.其中质量比为1:1的BiFeO3@TiO2复合粉体(TiO2壳层厚度为50–100 nm)展现出最强的光催化氧化活性,且在可见光下有更高的光催化效率.经表征分析,该复合粉体光催化性能高的原因可能归结于BiFeO3与TiO2两者之间形成了p-n异质结界面,有效地提高了电荷载流子的传输分离效率,同时BiFeO3较窄的禁带宽度拓展了纳米TiO2的光谱吸收范围,增强其光吸收能力.光电化学Mott-Schottky测试结果进一步证实:BiFeO3粉体在与TiO2复合之后,其电荷载流子传输与供体密度均有显著提升.自由基猝灭实验表明,在甲基紫光催化降解中起主要作用的为羟基自由基与光生电子,并结合能带理论与自建电场理论对降解机理进行了阐述.进一步研究表明,甲基紫降解效果最优条件为:复合粉体的投加量为1 g/L,甲基紫初始浓度为10 mg/L,初始pH为5.另外,质量比1:1的BiFeO3@TiO2对甲基橙和刚果红染料废水也具有较好的降解效果,表现出良好的工业应用前景.     

CeO2/BiVO4复合可见光催化剂的制备及其催化性能的研究

通过水热法制备了CeO2/BiVO4复合可见光催化剂,并采用X射线粉末衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、能量色散X射线光谱(EDX)和紫外-可见漫反射光谱对其晶体结构、表面形貌、化学组成以及光谱特性等进行了表征。此外还研究了光照时间、催化剂用量、不同染料、光照强度和重复使用次数对CeO2/BiVO4复合可见光催化剂和BiVO4在可见光照射下催化降解次甲基蓝活性的影响。结果表明:当光照时间为120 min,催化剂用量为1.00 g·L^-1及光照强度为1.00 mW·cm^-2时, CeO2/BiVO4复合可见光催化剂对次甲基蓝的催化降解效果最佳,并且有较高的稳定性。     

NiFe2O4/g-C3N4 heterojunction composite with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

Spinel structure nickel ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) doped graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) photocatalyst NiFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄ was synthesized by the coprecipitation route to enhance the photocatalytic activity for the visible-light driven degradation of methyl orange. The NiFe₂O₄ doping content is responsible for the microstructure and photocatalytic activity of NiFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄ samples. Compared with pure NiFe₂O₄ and g-C₃N₄, the 2-NiFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄ composite with NiFe₂O₄ doping of 2.0 wt% exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity and superior stability after five runs for degrading methyl orange under visible light irradiation. The catalytic activity of 2-NiFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄ sample produced using the coprecipitation route was higher than those of conventional 2-NiFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄ bulks prepared by the impregnation approach. The prepared samples for the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. It’s ascribed to the synergistic effect between NiFe₂O₄ and g-C₃N₄, which can inhibit the recombination of photoexcited electron-hole pairs, accelerate photoproduced charges separation, and enhance the visible light absorption.     

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.     

Fabrication of ternary dual Z-Scheme AgI/ZnIn2S4/BiVO4 heterojunction photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline under visible light

In this study, a novel ternary AgI/ZnIn₂S₄/BiVO₄(AZB) composite photocatalyst was successfully prepared by hydrothermal method and in-situ precipitation method. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS and so on, and the photocatalytic activity was evaluated through photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) under visible light irradiation. When the molar ratio of Bi to Ag was 1:1, the degradation rate of TC can reach 91.44 % within 150 min. The AZB heterojunction demonstrated outstanding efficiency with the apparent reaction rate constants of 0.02118 min^?1 for TC removal, was 4.68, 3.27 and 3.27 times higher than that of pure BiVO₄, AgI and ZnIn₂S₄. Based on active species trapping experiments and ESR analysis, a dual Z-Scheme pathways among BiVO₄, AgI and ZnIn₂S₄ for effective separation of photogenerated charges was recommended. This work provided a promising insight for the design of ternary dual Z-scheme heterojunction with multilevel electron transfer to present greater photo-absorption, charge separation, and photodegradation for environmental decontamination.     

Facile preparation of MgAl2O4/CeO2/Mn3O4 heterojunction photocatalyst and enhanced photocatalytic activity

Novel Mn₃O₄-promoted double p?n junction MgAl₂O₄/CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ heterojunction photocatalyst was constructed by one-step synthesis method and two-step synthesis method. The X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, optical and photoluminescence demonstrated that the MgAl₂O₄/CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized by the two-step synthesis method comprehends a high crystallinity, charge carrier migration and separation efficiency, and relatively low optical absorption coefficient. The MgAl₂O₄/CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ heterojunction photocatalysts were efficiently used as simulated sunlight-driven n-n and p-n double junction photocatalyst for the simultaneous degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The continuous double p?n junction MgAl₂O₄/CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ heterojunctions strengthened the function of single n-n or p-n junction and guided the charge carrier migration and separation direction; thus, the oxidation and reduction reactions occur at the active site of spatial separation and prevent the recombination of electrons and holes. The results suggest that the continuous double p?n junction MgAl₂O₄/CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ heterojunctions are very promising candidate material for enhancing the photocatalytic activity in the photocatalytic degradation of MB dye.     

Synthesis of thiol-functionalized TiO_2 nanocomposite and photocatalytic degradation for PAH under visible light irradiation

In this paper,a thiol-functionalized nanophotocatalyst MPTES/TiO_2 was first synthesized by one-pot method using P123 as a template.X-ray diffraction confirms the complete anatase crystalline of thiol-functionalized TiO_2,N_2 adsorption-desorption isotherm demonstrated that these materials possess high surface area and mesoporous structure.The results of XPS show that MPTES has been successfully polymerized in mesoporous structured TiO_2.The photodegradation of phenanthrene(PHE) was investigated under vi...     

Flower-like Bi2WO6/ZnO composite with excellent photocatalytic capability under visible light irradiation

The photocatalytic ability of ZnO is improved through the addition of flower-like Bi₂WO₆ to prepare a Bi₂WO₆/ZnO composite with visible light activity. The composite is characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms. After modification, the band gap energy of Bi₂WO₆/ZnO is reduced from 3.2 eV for ZnO to 2.6 eV. Under visible light irradiation, the Bi₂WO₆/ZnO composite shows an excellent photocatalytic activity for degrading methylene blue (MB) and tetracycline. The photo-degradation efficiencies of (0.3:1) Bi₂WO₆/ZnO for MB and tetracycline are approximately 246 and 4500 times higher than those of bare ZnO, respectively, and correspondingly, the photo-degradation rates for the two pollutants are approximately 120 and 200 times higher than those with bare ZnO, respectively. Moreover, the photocatalyst of (0.3:1) Bi₂WO₆/ZnO exhibits a higher transient photocurrent density of approximately 4.5 μA compared with those of bare Bi₂WO₆ and ZnO nanoparticles. The successful recombination of Bi₂WO₆ and ZnO enhances the photocatalytic activity and reduces the band gap energy of ZnO, which can be attributed to the effective separation of electron–hole pairs. Active species trapping experiments display that [O₂]^? is the major species involved during photocatalysis rather than ?OH and h⁺. This study provides insight into designing a meaningful visible-light-driven photocatalyst for environmental remediation.     

石墨烯/电气石/二氧化钛复合材料的制备及其光催化降解异丙醇性能

光催化是一种理想的应对全球能源短缺和环境污染问题的绿色化学技术,可以实现有机物降解、水分解和二氧化碳光还原等.光催化反应效率受诸多因素影响,其中光生载流子(电子和空穴)的分离和传输具有至关重要的作用.以往研究表明,构筑多元复合光催化材料体系有利于光生电子和空穴有效分离和传递,促进催化剂表面的还原和氧化反应,从而提高其光催化效率.基于以上考虑,我们提出了一种新型的石墨烯/电气石/TiO2三元复合光催化材料体系,其中TiO2因其价格低廉、无毒和抗光腐蚀等优点而被广泛用作光催化材料;石墨烯(G)拥有独特的二维结构、高的电子迁移率、大的比表面积,是一种优异的催化剂载体;电气石(T)的一个重要性质是表面存在自发极化的静电场,该静电场将会影响光激发载流子的分离、传递和光催化反应过程.利用水热法合成了不同成分的石墨烯/电气石/TiO2三元复合材料体系.为了对比研究石墨烯表面电荷性质的影响,其中一组的石墨烯(氧化石墨)为直接采用改良的Hummers法所制备,其表面带负电;另一组的石墨烯经聚二烯丙基二甲基氯化铵(PDDA)修饰,使其表面带正电.X射线衍射结果显示,三元复合材料中TiO2为锐钛矿相,其结晶性没有因为与石墨烯和电气石的复合而受到影响.扫描和透射电子显微分析表明,TiO2的平均颗粒大小为15 nm左右,并且与石墨烯和电气石均匀复合.傅里叶变换红外光谱和zeta电位表征分析证实,PDDA可以有效地对石墨烯进行功能化改性,使其表面带正电.紫外-可见分光光谱显示,石墨烯/电气石/TiO2三元复合材料与TiO2的吸收带边一致,复合材料中石墨烯和电气石并没有改变TiO2的光吸收特征.光催化降解异丙醇实验表明,石墨烯/电气石/TiO2三元复合材料优于单纯的TiO2、石墨烯/TiO2以及电气石/TiO2二元复合材料,当石墨烯和电气石的质量百分比分别为0.5%和5%时,三元复合材料降解异丙醇产生丙酮的速率达到最高(223μmol/h).特别值得指出的是,由表面带负电的石墨烯组成的复合材料比由带正电荷的PDDA-石墨烯组成的复合材料具有更高的光催化性能,原因如下:在水溶液中显示正zeta电位值的TiO2与带负电的石墨烯/电气石复合物静电吸引而均匀紧密复合,有利于TiO2中光生电子和空穴的快速分离和传递,从而使得石墨烯/电气石/TiO2三元复合材料具有较高的光催化性能;而带正电的PDDA-石墨烯/电气石复合物和TiO2颗粒相互排斥而不宜复合,导致PDDA-石墨烯基复合材料的光催化活性降低.机理研究揭示,在三元复合材料光催化降解异丙醇的反应中起主要作用的是光生电子和空穴.基于以上研究结果,我们提出了三元复合材料光催化降解异丙醇的反应机理.     

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of TiO2/conjugated polymer complex nanoparticles

A photocatalyst of nanometer TiO2/conjugated polymer complex was successfully synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic methods and photocatalytic experiments. The complex photocatalyst could be activated by absorbing both ultraviolet and visible light （λ = 190-800 nm）. Methylene blue （MB） could be degraded more efficiently on the complex photocatalyst than on the TiO2 under natural light. The conjugated polymer played a promoting role in the photocatalytic degradation of MB. The calcination temperature had an important effect in degradation of dye and could be summarized as 260℃ 〉 300 ℃ 〉 340 ℃ 〉 220 ℃ 〉 180 ℃.     

Spherical NiWO4-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite for effective visible light driven photocatalytic activity for the decolourisation of organic pollutants

A hybrid nanocomposite of nickel tungstate – reduced graphene oxide (NiWO₄-RGO) was prepared using a surfactant free hydrothermal approach. Resulting hybrid nanocomposite powder was grounded for forty minutes to ensure homogeneity and avoid agglomerations of particles. Resulting nanocomposite was characterised by XRD, FTIR, FESEM and EDX analysis. Photocatalytic activities of the characterised catalyst were examined by the decolourisation of Methylene blue (MB) and ortho-nitrophenol (ONP) under visible light irradiation were conducted at room temperature. The results confirmed that 15 wt% NiWO₄-RGO composite was degraded almost completely MB (95%) and ONP (82%) within 150 and 240 min respectively under visible light sources. The catalyst was reused and stable for successive six runs with loss of 10% of degradation rate.     

Preparation of magnetic Fe3O4/TiO2/Ag composite microspheres with enhanced photocatalytic activity

The novel three-component Fe₃O₄/TiO₂/Ag composite mircospheres were prepared via a facile chemical deposition route. The Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ mircospheres were first prepared by the solvothermal method, and then Ag nanoparticles were anchored onto the out-layer of TiO₂ by the tyrosine-reduced method. The as-prepared magnetic Fe₃O₄/TiO₂/Ag composite mircospheres were applied as photocatalysis for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue. The results indicate that the photocatalytic activity of Fe₃O₄/TiO₂/Ag composite microspheres is superior to that of Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ due to the dual effects of the enhanced light absorption and reduction of photoelectron–hole pair recombination in TiO₂ with the introduction of Ag NPs. Moreover, these magnetic Fe₃O₄/TiO₂/Ag composite microspheres can be completely removed from the dispersion with the help of magnetic separation and reused with little or no loss of catalytic activity.