Combination of theory and experiment achieving one-dimensional MWO4 (M = Zn, Ni, and Cu) photocatalysts with broad-spectrum degradation

Abstract

Photocatalysis is a promising technology for addressing environmental pollution and energy shortages in a carbon neutral way, and highly effective utilization of solar light is very important for water treatment via photocatalysis. In this study, we synthesized one-dimensional wolframite-structured MWO4 (M = Zn, Ni, and Cu) nanomaterials as UV–Vis–NIR broad spectrum-driven photocatalysts via the electrospinning method, and observed the excellent performances in the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) and bisphenol A (BPA) under the UV–Vis–NIR light illumination. The degradation experiments showed that CuWO4 nanotubes exhibited the highest degradation capability, and achieved the TC removal rates of 91.8% and 94.2% after 140 min and 12 h under UV–Vis and NIR light irradiation, respectively. The UV–Vis–NIR responsive photocatalytic activities and mechanisms could be explained by the charge transfer mechanism and metal ion d-d orbital transition based on the experimental results and density functional theory modulations. Our findings demonstrate that the MWO4 (M = Zn, Ni, and Cu) photocatalysts could be responsive to the UV–Vis–NIR broad-spectrum lights, representing a major step forward in the development of photocatalytic technology.