MOF-Templated Approach for Hollow NiOx/Co3O4 Catalysts: Enhanced Light-Driven Thermocatalytic Degradation of Toluene

Abstract

Catalysts with strong light absorption over a broad wavelength region and high catalytic performance are considered to be suitable materials for realizing efficient light-driven thermocatalytic environment purification. However, it still remains a challenge to acquire a highly efficient catalyst with tunable light absorption properties. In this report, structure management and secondary metal doping techniques were implemented to the catalysts for improving its solar-light utilization efficiency. We synthesized a series of hollow NiOx/Co3O4 composites derived from ZIF-67 by impregnation method and explored the light-driven catalytic activities on toluene oxidation under simulated sunlight. Remarkably, the prepared samples with strong light absorption and efficient photothermal conversion exhibit excellent catalytic activity under the full solar spectrum in toluene oxidation, which proceeds by a light-driven thermocatalysis. In terms of NiOx/Co3O4 composites, the 35-NiOx/Co3O4 catalyst shows the highest th...