Abstract

Novel two-dimensional ZnO/Ti3C2Tx hybrid photocatalysts with modified surface areas were prepared using a simple calcination technique. The microstructures, crystalline features, and bonding states of the ZnO structure-covered Ti3C2Tx MXenes were closely characterized using various tools. The photoluminescence intensity of the hybrid photocatalyst was greatly reduced compared to the pristine ZnO, while its Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area increased by more than 100 times. Under solar light illumination, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the hybrid photocatalyst for organic pollutants (MO, RhB) appeared to be three-fold larger as compared to pristine ZnO. The superb photocatalytic performance of the photocatalyst was attributed to several factors, such as ideal band alignment, Schottky barrier formation, and large surface area. Moreover, the ZnO/Ti3C2Tx hybrid photocatalyst showed excellent cycling stability. These results suggest that the novel hybrid structure may be a potential candidate for removing organic pollutants in wastewater.

Highlights

  • A growing number of people have become concerned with harmful gas emissions from industry and organic pollutants in wastewater, most of which have detrimental effects on human health and the environment [1,2,3]

  • Rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO) are popularly used as colorants in textiles, paper, food products, fiber dyeing, and printing [4]. Owing to their widespread applications, both chemicals have been released to the environment via wastewater [5]

  • The intense (104) peak of Ti3 AlC2 appearing at 2θ = 39.19◦ disappears after etching. All of these indicate that Al layers were appropriately removed from their parent MAX

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Summary

Introduction

A growing number of people have become concerned with harmful gas emissions from industry and organic pollutants in wastewater, most of which have detrimental effects on human health and the environment [1,2,3]. Rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO) are popularly used as colorants in textiles, paper, food products, fiber dyeing, and printing [4]. Owing to their widespread applications, both chemicals have been released to the environment via wastewater [5]. Repeated exposure to toxic organic dyes can raise heart palpitations, skin irritation, shock, and quadriplegia even at low concentrations [6,7,8]. These dyes limit valuable downstream uses such as drinking water, photosynthetic activity, and irrigation. The natural deterioration of these dyes in wastewater is very difficult and takes a long time with complicated processes [9,10]

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