Insights into the electronic, magnetic structure, and photocatalytic activity of Y2CuMnO6 double perovskite.

Semiconductor-based photocatalysts have become increasingly used in the removal of pollutants from wastewater, especially antibiotics. A series of composite-based cuprous oxide and bismuth vanadate (Cu2O/BiVO4) composite-based photocatalysts were synthesized by using the chemical method. The structure of the Cu2O/BiVO4 composite was verified by using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV-visible spectra. The degradation of methylene blue (MB) and tetracycline (TC) was investigated to check the photocatalytic activity of the Cu2O/BiVO4 composite series. The quantity of Cu2O was varied from 1% to 7% by weight to prepare the series of Cu2O/BiVO4 composites. The analysis of results verified that 5% Cu2O/BiVO4 exhibits an outstanding photocatalytic activity as compared to 1%, 3%, and 7% Cu2O/BiVO4, pure Cu2O, and pure BiVO4 under visible light irradiation. The optimum value of photocatalytic degradation achieved with 5% Cu2O/BiVO4 was 97% for MB dye and 95% for TC in 120min, which is greater than the photocatalytic degradation of pure BiVO4 (MB 45% and TC 72%), pure Cu2O (MB 57% and TC 80%), 1% Cu2O/BiVO4 (MB 72% and TC 85%), 3% Cu2O/BiVO4 (MB 83% and TC 88%), and 7% Cu2O/BiVO4 (MB 87% and TC 91%). The stability and reusability of Cu2O/BiVO4 were also investigated. To check the major role of trapping in degradation, a trapping experiment was also performed by using three trapping agents: BQ, EDTA, and tBuOH. The results showed that Cu2O/BiVO4 exhibits an improved photocatalytic activity in the degradation of antibiotics in polluted water because the recombination rate of the electron-hole pair decreased and the surface area increased, which increased the active sites for redox reactions. Such a photocatalytic composite with high efficiency has various applications, such as energy production, environmental remediation, and water remediation.

Degradation of tetracycline drug in aquatic environment by visible light active CuS/CdS photocatalyst

Iodine-sensitized Bi4Ti3O12/TiO2 photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic activity on degradation of phenol

Platinum like cocatalysts tungsten carbide loaded hollow tubular g-C3N4 achieving effective space separation of carriers to degrade antibiotics

Structural characterization of SrLaMnRuO 6 by synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Selective degradation of antibiotic in a novel Cu7S4/peroxydisulfate system via heterogeneous Cu(III) formation: Performance, mechanism and toxicity evaluation

Platinum-modified bismuth molybdate flake balls as visible-light-responsive photocatalyst

Copper(I)-Based Highly Emissive All-Inorganic Rare-Earth Halide Clusters

Synergic effect of Cu2O/MoS2/rGO for the sonophotocatalytic degradation of tetracycline and ciprofloxacin antibiotics

Incorporation of N–ZnO/CdS/Graphene oxide composite photocatalyst for enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light

Synergistic degradation of tetracycline from Mo2C/MoOx films mediated peroxymonosulfate activation and visible-light triggered photocatalysis

Ti3C2TX-Co loaded chitosan hydrogel microspheres for efficient peroxymonosulfate activation and tetracycline degradation

One-step synthesis of visible active C[sbnd]N[sbnd]S-tridoped TiO2 photocatalyst from biomolecule cystine

With the rise of industry and technology development based on the utilization of fossil fuels as a main energy source as well as environmental and air pollution greenhouse gases have drastically increased with the alert and demand to alter the sources of energy. One way to do so is to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and replace it by other sources such as renewable energies. Most interesting and promising is solar energy. After the discovery of the photovoltaic effect and applying it for making solar cells, an effective way to convert solar energy into electric energy has become achievable. Throughout history three different solar cell generations can be observed mostly based on the evolution of solar cells by the decrease of the solar cell thickness and the lowering of the active layer thickness from µm to nm. Beyond the decrease in thickness of the solar cells, the price of solar cells has dropped over the years. Still, the silicon-based technology is complex and cost-intensive. The third generation of solar cells are thin films with their most interesting and well-researched sub-group: perovskite solar cells. This new way of cheap and easy-to-fabricate solar cell has interested both, scientists and industry. A decade of lead-based perovskite solar cells in the scientific community has shown an increase in power conversion efficiency from 3.8 to 26 % and enormous interest of world scientists investigating the excellent photovoltaic properties of these lead-based perovskites (e.g. CH3NH3PbI3) but also the possibility of large commercialization. Organic–inorganic lead halide perovskite absorbers have excellent photovoltaic properties, such as suitable bandgap, high optical absorption, and long carrier lifetime. Unfortunately, underlying issues are the presence of toxic lead and the cell instability under ambient atmosphere (e.g. O2 and H2O). Bismuth-based lead-free double perovskites (e.g. Cs2AgBiBr6) have been considered as alternatives to the lead-based perovskites for solar cell applications. Trivalent cations, such as Bi3+ along with monovalent cations, Ag+, have been concurrently introduced to the B-sites of halide perovskites, leading to B cation double perovskites with the general chemical formula of A2B’B’’X6. These Pb-free double perovskites have been reported to have promising photovoltaic properties, including long carrier recombination lifetime, good stability against air and moisture, and low carrier effective masses. Thus, they are a potential alternative to the toxic lead halide perovskites. Nevertheless, device development is still in its infancy, and its performance is affected by severe hysteresis. In this work the realization of the synthesis and deposition of the double perovskite is presented via different deposition routes such as vacuum vapor and solution deposition. The double perovskite thin films have been optimized and characterized using different surface and material characterization methods. Afterwards, hysteresis-free planar and mesoporous double perovskite solar cells with no s-shape in the device characteristics and increased device open circuit voltage have been realized for the first time. This has been achieved by fine-tuning the material deposition parameters and layer optimization using several modification routes such as different temperature annealings, the thicknesses of mesoporous and perovskite layer, ozone and TiCl4 treatments leading to better infiltration of the double perovskite solution into mesoporous TiO2–ending with a significant improvement in solar cell performance. Except of device and interface engineering, to improve the material properties, compositional engineering has been conducted using mixing elements such as organic cation methylammonium, inorganic cation antimony and halide anion iodine. Finally, dimensional engineering has been achieved by adding large organic cations to the double perovskite crystal structure resulting in the new white emissive 2D and quasi 2D lead-free double perovskite materials.

A novel double anion layered photocatalyst Pb4(BO3)2SO4 with enhanced photocatalytic performance for antibiotic degradation