Light Absorption Range Research Articles

Metal-Free C60-Doped Mesoporous Carbon Nitride Drives Red-Light Photocatalysis.

The pursuit of novel strategies for synthesizing high-performance nanostructures of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has garnered increasing scholarly attention in the field of photocatalysis. Herein, we have successfully designed a metal-free photocatalyst by integrating mesoporous carbon nitride (mpg-C3N4) and C60 through a straightforward and innovative method, marking the first instance of such an achievement. Under red light, the C60/mpg-C3N4 composite exhibited a significantly accelerated rhodamine B (RhB) photodecomposition rate, surpassing bulk g-C3N4 by more than 25.8 times and outperforming pure mpg-C3N4 by 7.8 times. The synergistic effect of C60 and the mesoporous structure significantly enhanced the photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4 by adjusting its electronic structure, broadening the light absorption range, increasing the active sites, and reducing the recombination of photogenerated carriers. This work presents a promising avenue for harnessing a metal-free, stable, efficient photocatalyst driven by red light, with potential for enhancing solar energy utilization in environmental remediation.

The co-catalyst effect of NiSe2 supporter: Boost photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency of TiO2

Supporters play an extremely crucial role in the fabrication of highly dispersible catalysts. However, the supporter can only play the role of hosting the main catalyst and does not directly participate in the catalytic reaction as an active site. Herein, the NiSe2 nanoparticles were prepared by a selenide method using NiC2O4 as precursors, and then employed as supporter and cocatlyst to construct NiSe2/TiO2 hybrid by a facile mechanical stirring. The NiSe2/TiO2 hybrid with the optimal ratio of NiSe2 (15 wt%) manifested significantly improved the amount of photocatalytic H2 evolution of nearly 30000 μmol/g, which is 39 times in comparison to pristine TiO2 (756 μmol/g). The mechanism of performance enhancement was fully investigated and supposed that NiSe2 supporter can enhance dispersibility of TiO2, which increased the stacked-type pore size and pore volume by 2.5 and 10 times, respectively. Additionally, NiSe2 can improve the light absorption capacity of the catalyst system and broaden the light absorption range to the visible light region. What’ more, the higher work function of NiSe2 facilitates the formation of electron sink, which leading to the effectively separation of photo-generated carriers. The promising outcomes of this study on NiSe2/TiO2 hybrid highlight the dual role of transition metals as co-catalyst and supporter in catalytic processes, offering valuable insights for further exploration of the co-catalytic capabilities of supporters.

Visible light responsive photocatalytic fuel cell with Ce-UiO-66/g-C3N4/Bi2WO6/Ti photoanode for simultaneous degradation of rhodamine B and electricity generation

In order to enhance the carrier separation efficiency and redox ability of photoanode, a dual Z-scheme heterojunction Ce-UiO-66/g-C3N4/Bi2WO6/Ti photoanode was prepared and assembled with Cu cathode to form PFC. The characterization results show that Ce-UiO-66/g-C3N4/Bi2WO6 uniformly distributed on the Ti substrate, with average crystallite size of 9.04 nm and average particle size of 33.05 nm, which provides sufficient reactive active sites for RhB degradation. The RhB degradation rate, Pmax, Jsc, Voc and FF of the PFC were 90.9 % (90 min), 7.53 µW cm-2, 0.152 mA cm-2, 0.37 V and 0.134, respectively. The turnover frequency (TOF) for RhB degradation by the PFC reached 0.98 h-1. Fermi energy level analysis shows that a double-Z heterojunction is formed between Bi2WO6 and g-C3N4, and between Bi2WO6 and Ce-UiO-66, which not only effectively separates photogenerated e--h+, but also retains the high redox ability of the composite. Moreover, with the introduction of Ce-UiO-66, the composite photoanode has larger specific surface area and wider visible light absorption range. In addition, because of the built-in electric field, the photogenerated electrons can migrate to the surface of composite particles more easily and react with dissolved oxygen to generate more •O2- to participate in the degradation of RhB. This work provides a valuable reference for developing PFC photoanode with high efficiency and visible light response.

An Efficient p-n Heterojunction Copper Tin Sulfide/g-C3N4 Nanocomposite for Methyl Orange Photodegradation.

The discharge of toxic dye effluents from industry is a major concern for environmental pollution and toxicity. These toxic dyes can be efficiently removed from waste streams using a photocatalysis process involving visible light. Due to its simple synthesis procedure, inexpensive precursor, and robust stability, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4, or CN) has been used as a visible light responsive catalyst for the degradation of dyes with mediocre performance because it is limited by its low visible light harvesting capability due to its wide bandgap and fast carrier recombination rate. To overcome these limitations and enhance the performance of g-C3N4, it was coupled with a narrow bandgap copper tin sulfide (CTS) semiconductor to form a p-n heterojunction. CTS and g-C3N4 were selected due to their good stability, low toxicity, ease of synthesis, layered sheet/plate-like morphology, and relatively abundant precursors. Accordingly, a series of copper tin sulfide/graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites (CTS/g-C3N4) with varying CTS contents were successfully synthesized via a simple two-step process involving thermal pyrolysis and coprecipitation for visible-light-induced photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye. The photocatalytic activity results showed that the 50%(wt/wt) CTS/g-C3N4 composite displayed a remarkable degradation efficiency of 95.6% for MO dye under visible light illumination for 120 min, which is higher than that of either pristine CTS or g-C3N4. The improved performance is attributed to the extended light absorption range (due to the optimized bandgap), effective suppression of photoinduced electron-hole recombination, and improved charge transfer that arose from the formation of a p-n heterojunction, as evidenced by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), photocurrent, and photoluminescence results. Moreover, the results of the reusability study showed that the composite has excellent stability, indicating its potential for the degradation of MO and other toxic organic dyes from waste streams.

Interface engineering of Ti3C2 MXene assisted anatase/rutile TiO2 with hetero-phase junction for enhancing the photocatalytic activity of tetracycline hydrochloride removal and H2 production

The conventional heterojunction formed by combining two different semiconductors is associated with issues of low compatibility, restricted intimate contact, and limited charge anti-recombination process. To address these issues, a simple strategy was adopted to fabricate a hetero-phase junction flanked with two dissimilar crystal phases of a single semiconducting material. This study employed TiB2 as the initial material to fabricate an anatase/rutile TiO2 hetero-phase junction material (AR-TiO2), followed by its combination with highly conductive monolayer Ti3C2 nanosheets to develop an AR-TiO2/Ti3C2 composite photocatalyst. The photocatalyst displayed a wide range of light absorption and a remarkable capability for separating photogenerated carriers. The closely interconnected hetero-phase junction surface, formed by the rutile and anatase phases of AR-TiO2, combined with the incorporation of highly conductive Ti3C2 nanosheets, synergistically increased the availability of multi-dimensional active sites and increased the efficacy of separating photogenerated electron pairs. The optimized AR-TiO2/Ti3C2 achieved a degradation efficiency of 91.49 % for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) within 2 h and produced 1005.81 μmol of hydrogen in 6 h. The impacts of initial pH, co-existing anions, initial TCH concentration, initial temperature, and various pollutant species on the catalytic efficiency were also investigated. pH was shown to have the greatest impact on the photocatalytic performance of AR-TiO2/Ti3C2 for TCH degradation. •O2−, and h+ were identified as the primary reactive species that enabled the photocatalytic performance of AR-TiO2/Ti3C2 through trapping experiments. This study presents a novel method to synthesize hetero-phase junction photocatalysts and suggests that Ti3C2 has potential prospects for use in photocatalysis.

Bird’s nest-like Nb2O5: preparation, characterization and multifunctional photocatalytic application

ABSTRACT A bird’s nest-like structure of Nb2O5 (Nb2O5/PVP) was produced using a hydrothermal method that involved the introduction of PVP. This unique structure provides a micro-reactor for the photocatalytic reaction, which improves the reaction efficiency. The test results demonstrated that the surface properties of Nb2O5 were altered by the introduction of PVP. This change caused an enhancement of the water adsorption capacity and ∙OH production yield. Another aspect, the energy band structure was altered by the introduction of PVP. Thus, the photogenerated charge recombination rate was reduced, the photogenerated charge mobility was improved, the reduction of photogenerated electrons was enhanced, and the ∙O2- production yield was increased. The PVP introduction broadened the light absorption range of Nb2O5 from the UV to the visible light region, increasing the light utilization efficiency. The degradation experiments demonstrated that Nb2O5/PVP had significantly better catalytic activity than pristine Nb2O5. Meanwhile, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of TC using Nb2O5/PVP reached 90.4% in 25 min.

Two-Dimensional GeC/MXY (M = Zr, Hf; X, Y = S, Se) Heterojunctions Used as Highly Efficient Overall Water-Splitting Photocatalysts.

Hydrogen generation by photocatalytic water-splitting holds great promise for addressing the serious global energy and environmental crises, and has recently received significant attention from researchers. In this work, a method of assembling GeC/MXY (M = Zr, Hf; X, Y = S, Se) heterojunctions (HJs) by combining GeC and MXY monolayers (MLs) to construct direct Z-scheme photocatalytic systems is proposed. Based on first-principles calculations, we found that all the GeC/MXY HJs are stable van der Waals (vdW) HJs with indirect bandgaps. These HJs possess small bandgaps and exhibit strong light-absorption ability across a wide range. Furthermore, the built-in electric field (BIEF) around the heterointerface can accelerate photoinduced carrier separation. More interestingly, the suitable band edges of GeC/MXY HJs ensure sufficient kinetic potential to spontaneously accomplish water redox reactions under light irradiation. Overall, the strong light-harvesting ability, wide light-absorption range, small bandgaps, large heterointerfacial BIEFs, suitable band alignments, and carrier migration paths render GeC/MXY HJs highly efficient photocatalysts for overall water decomposition.

NaSCN‐Induced Cyano‐Rich Porous Graphitic Carbon Nitride with Sodium Dopant and Nitrogen Vacancies for Enhanced Photosynthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide

AbstractDefect engineering has been considered as an efficient and facile tactics to optimize the bandgap structure and improve the oxygen adsorption ability of graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4). Herein porous g‐C3N4 with nitrogen vacancies and sodium dopant as well as cyano (─C≡N) groups has been successfully constructed by direct pyrolysis of melamine in the presence of cyano‐rich sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN). Moreover, the incorporation of NaSCN is interestingly found to induce the relative high content of ─C≡N groups compared to other inorganic sodium compounds (NaCl, NaOH, and Na2SO4), which has been experimentally demonstrated to be beneficial for extending the light absorption range and promoting the efficient separation of photo‐generated electron–hole pairs as well as improving the oxygen adsorption ability. Benefiting from the above features, the optimal photocatalyst exhibits high H2O2 yield of 438.2 µm within 4 h and excellent cyclic stability.

In‐Situ Growth of MgO@rGO Core‐Shell Structure via CO2 Thermal Reaction for Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance

AbstractDegradation of organic pollutants in wastewater is crucial for global environmental health. Semiconductor‐based photocatalytic technologies have received widespread attention due to their ability to directly utilize solar energy, produce no secondary pollution, and offer long‐lasting functionality. However, current photocatalyst preparation technologies face issues such as complex manufacturing processes, low efficiency, and the need for various additives. Therefore, this work proposes a simple and eco‐friendly method to in‐situ growth of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) onto magnesium oxide (MgO), forming a MgO@rGO core‐shell structured photocatalyst through CO2 thermal reaction process. After systematic study, the incorporation of rGO onto MgO core greatly extends the light absorption range from ultraviolet (UV) to visible wavelength, enabling substantially enhanced light capture and photoexcited carriers. Additionally, the core‐shell heterojunction with a built‐in electric field at the interface between MgO and rGO facilitates distinctly the separation and migration of the photogenerated charges. This structure‐induced synergistic effect boosts the photocatalytic performance of MgO@rGO by a factor of 1.7, 4.1, 41.8, and 6.4, compared with MgO (stripped), MgO (pure), rGO, and commercially used TiO2, respectively. This work provides a simple and effective strategy for designing advanced functional nanocomposites to address environmental problems.

A Visible Light-Responsive TiO2 Photocathode Achieved by a Rh Dopant.

Developing an efficient and stable photocathode material for photoelectrochemical solar water splitting remains challenging. Herein, we demonstrate the potential of rutile TiO2 as a photocathode by Rh doping with visible light absorption up to 640 nm and an onset potential of 0.9 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. The dopant transforms the rutile host from an n-type semiconductor to a p-type one, as confirmed by the Mott-Schottky curve and kelvin probe force microscopy. Physical and photoelectrochemical analyses further suggest that the doping mechanism is dependent on concentration. Lower levels of dopants generate localized Rh3+, while higher levels favor Rh4+ that interacts more strongly with the O 2p orbitals. The latter is found not only to extend the visible light absorption range but also to facilitate charge transport. This work elucidates the role of the Rh dopant in adjusting the photoelectrochemical behavior of TiO2, and it provides a promising photocathode material for solar energy conversion.

Engineering delocalized π-electron and donor-acceptor system in polymeric carbon nitride for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

A facile “one-pot” method was adopted to engineer delocalized π-electron and Donor-Acceptor (D-A) system in polymeric carbon nitride (PCN). The resulting UCN-xTAB materials demonstrate an expanded light absorption range due to the expanded delocalization with the graft of 1,3,5-benzenetriamine (TAB) into the CN network. The constructed D-A system further promote the exciton dissociation and charge migration. Consequently, the optimized samples UCN-5TAB displays a remarkable apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) (20.2 %) for H2 production at 450 nm, surpassing the performance of previously reported PCN-based photocatalysts. The proposed structure for UCN-xTAB was confirmed by Density-functional-theory (DFT) calculations. In addition, the regulation of delocalization can be probed by tuning the incorporated monomers (melamine, 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine), demonstrating the significance of delocalization for enhanced photocatalytic activity. This work provides a deep understanding on the role delocalization and D-A structure of PCN for efficient photocatalytic activity with improved solar harvesting in long wavelength region.

Sandwich-structured continuous ZIF-8/Ti3C2 MXene/ZIF-8 for efficient sterilization: Enhanced photocatalytic activity, photothermal effect, and environmental safety

The development of effective water purification systems is crucial for controlling and remediating environmental pollution, especially in terms of sterilization. Herein, we demonstrate elaborately designed composite nanosheets with a sandwich structure, composed of two-dimensional (2D) Ti3C2 MXene nanosheet core and conformal ZIF-8 ultrathin outer layers, and their potential applications in photocatalytic sterilization. The study results indicate that the conformal ZIF-8-MXene nanosheet exhibits an expanded light absorption range (826 nm), improved photothermal conversion efficiency (6.2 °C s−1), and photocurrent response, thus boosting photocatalytic sterilization efficiency (6.63 log10 CFU mL−1) against Escherichia coli under simulated sunlight within 90 min. Interestingly, 2D ZIF-8 layers exhibit positive zeta potential (19 mV), good hydrophilicity (40.6°), and local photogenerated-hole accumulation, possessing efficient bacteria-trapping efficiency. Membrane filters fabricated from optimized composite nanosheets exhibit an outstanding bacteria-trapping and sterilization efficiency (almost 100 %) against Escherichia coli under simulated sunlight within 30 min of the flow photocatalytic experiments. This work not only presents a rational structural design of the conformal and ultrathin anchoring of ZIF-8 onto a 2D conductive material for bacteria-trapping and sterilization, but also opens new opportunities for using metal–organic frameworks in photocatalytic disinfection of drinking water.

Integrating bimetallic borides with g-C3N4 containing cyanamide defects for efficient photocatalytic nitrogen fixation

The sustainable generation of ammonia by photocatalytic nitrogen fixation under mild conditions is fascinating compared to conventional industrial processes. Nevertheless, owing to the low charge transfer efficiency, the insufficient light absorption capacity and limited active sites of the photocatalyst cause the difficult adsorption and activation of N2 molecules, thereby resulting in a low photocatalytic conversion efficiency. Herein, a novel bimetallic CoMoB nanosheets (CoMoB) co-catalyst modified carbon nitride with dual moiety defects (CN-TH3/3) Schottky junction photocatalyst is designed for photocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). The photocatalytic nitrogen reduction rate of the optimized CoMoB/CN-TH3/3 photocatalyst is 4.81 mM·g−1·h−1, which is 6.2 and 2.2 times higher than carbon nitride (CN) (0.78 mM·g−1·h−1) and CN-TH3/3 (2.21 mM·g−1·h−1), respectively. The excellent photocatalytic NRR performance is ascribed not only to the introduction of dual moiety defects (cyano and cyanamide groups) that extends the visible light absorption range and promotes exciton polarization dissociation, but also to the formation of interfacial electric field between CoMoB and CN-TH3/3, which effectively facilitates the interfacial charge transfer. Thus, the synergistic interaction between CN-TH3/3 and CoMoB further increases the electron numble of CoMoB active sites, which effectively strengthens the adsorption and activation of N2 and weakens the NN triple bond, thereby enhancing the photocatalytic NRR activity. This work highlights the introduced dual moiety defects and bimetallic CoMoB co-catalyst to synergistically enhance the photocatalytic nitrogen reduction performance.

Gd-doped ZnFe2O4 multi-shell microspheres for enhancing photocatalytic H2 production or antibiotic degradation

It is anticipated to remove highly hazardous tetracycline antibiotic from aqueous solution photocatalytically by using Gd doped spinal ferrite. In this work, both ZnFe2O4 and Gd doped ZnFe2O4 photocatalysts were hydrothermally fabricated and characterized by different techniques. The spherical photocatalysts show extended photocatalytic removal efficiency under visible light. The optimized sample (ZnFe1.96Cd0.04O4) removes 78% antibiotic in 80 min. Moreover, under simulated solar light irradiation, the rate of hydrogen produced from water splitting photocatalysis with ZnFe1.96Cd0.04O4 reaches 230.4 μmol/(g·h). These increased activities are attributed to the increased specific surface area, the expanded light absorption range and the enhanced charge separation realized by doping Gd. According to the charge trapping study, both superoxide (•O2−) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) were the major active species in the process of removing antibiotic. This research provides a feasible way to fabricate low cost photocatalysts for the eradication of highly hazardous pollutants from aqueous solution.

Rational design of Z-scheme CoS@NC/CdS heterojunction with N doped carbon (NC) as an electron mediator for enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution

Rational construction of Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts have been regarded as a promising approach for enhanced hydrogen generation performance from splitting water. Herein, a Z-scheme heterojunction CoS@NC/CdS using N doped carbon (NC) as an electron mediator bridge was fabricated by coupling CdS with CoS@NC prepared via solid-state self-sulfuring a novel cationic cobalt (Co) based metal–organic framework (namely PZH-42) under argon atmosphere. Notably, the H2 production activity could be optimized by regulating the sulfurization temperature and the content of CoS@NC. The 20-CoS@NC−700/CdS with sulfurization temperature of 700 ℃ and the content for CoS@NC−700 of approximately 20 wt% exhibited the highest H2 generation activity of 20.56 mmol h−1 g−1 with an apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of 23.98 %, which was 70 and 10-folds as high as that of CdS and CdS/CoS. Such improvement might be attributed to the four synergisms of rapidly separating the electrons and holes by the NC electron mediator bridge in Z-scheme system, retaining electrons at the higher position conduction band (CB) of Z-scheme heterojunction more than that of the type-II heterojunction, increasing the specific surface area and enhancing light absorption range and intensity. More significantly, this rare idea can not only provide a promising strategy for designing highly efficient Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts, but also expand the photocatalytic H2 production applications of Co-based metal–organic framework.

A novel noble-metal-free FeS2/Mn0.5Cd0.5S heterojunction for enhancing photocatalytic H2 production activity: Carrier separation, light absorption, active sites

BackgroundThe development of efficient and noble-metal-free photocatalysts is greatly essential for photocatalytic hydrogen production. However, the photocatalytic activity of a single photocatalyst is usually limited for various reasons. MethodsHerein, FeS2/Mn0.5Cd0.5S (FSMCS) heterojunctions were constructed by a simple solvent evaporation method. The morphological characterizations revealed a raspberry-like hollow microsphere structure for FeS2 and irregular granularity for Mn0.5Cd0.5S. Photoluminescence (PL) and electrochemical experiments indicated that the FSMCS composite effectively facilitated the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. The UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrum (DRS) showed that, in FSMCS composite, the visible light absorption range was effectively expanded to the full visible light. Significant findingsExcellent photocatalytic activity in FSMCS heterojunctions without loading noble metals because FeS2 could serve an active site for hydrogen production. The optimum FSMCS composite had excellent photocatalytic hydrogen production activity (6.1 mmol·g−1·h−1), which was 5.6 and 2.3 times higher than that of the pristine Mn0.5Cd0.5S (1.1 mmol·g−1·h−1) and Mn0.5Cd0.5S-1 %Pt (2.7 mmol·g−1·h−1). Meanwhile, in four round-robin tests, the activity of the 5FSMCS photocatalyst did not significantly decrease. This work proved that combining Mn0.5Cd0.5S and non-precious metal cocatalysts to construct heterojunctions is a promising strategy for photocatalytic hydrogen production.

Enhanced photocatalytic activities of FCNO nanoparticles on graphitic carbon nitride

Efficient charge separation and broadened light absorption are of crucial importance for photocatalytic environmental remediation, and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is a very promising photocatalyst for this purpose. Herein, the synthesis of FCNO nanoparticles embedded within graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) by hydrothermal route assisted with pyrolysis of urea was presented. The g-C3N4 was obtained from an abundantly available precursor urea and the synthesis process played double role. Urea reacted with metal salts to convert them into metallic oxides and yielded g-C3N4. The experimental results revealed the in-situ fabrication of FCNO nanoparticles and formation of g-C3N4. The band gap narrowing made it possible that the samples were able to show a wide range of visible light absorption which made them suitable for photocatalytic activity studies. Thus, the materials were utilized for the visible light-based photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye. Photocatalytic degradation efficiency with ~93 % was achieved by the composite FCNO/g-C3N4 (50:50). The present approach for the synthesis of materials was proved to be cost-effective and time saving which enabled their use as recyclable photocatalyst.

Novel Zinc-porphyrin dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells that enables light capture in the near-ultraviolet and visible range

Two novel Zinc-porphyrin central dyes (T-5 and T-6) containing acetylene moiety have been designed and synthesized for application in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The light-harvesting capabilities and photovoltaic performance of these dyes were investigated systematically through comparison of different donor (D) unit. Devices fabricated from phenoxazine (POZ)-based molecule T-5 showed higher short-circuit current (JSC, 11.32 mA cm-2) compared to T-6 which based on phenothiazine (PTZ) (10.1 mA cm-2) under standard global AM 1.5 G solar condition. This is due to the fact that the POZ unit has a greater electron supply capacity than the PTZ unit. The introduction of the acetylene moieties into the molecular structure broadens the light absorption range of the dye molecule to the entire visible range and the near-ultraviolet region. The conclusions of this paper demonstrate that incorporating strong electron donor groups in dye molecules, in synergy with conjugated groups, broadens the spectral range of light absorption, thereby enhancing the performance of the dye device.

A dual S-scheme heterojunction SrTiO3/SrCO3/C-doped TiO2 as H2 production photocatalyst and its charge transfer mechanism

Constructing an S-scheme heterojunction is a highly effective approach for enhancing photocatalytic performance. However, the impact of a single S-scheme heterojunction on charge transfer is limited. To overcome this constraint, a dual S-scheme heterojunction, SrTiO3/SrCO3/C-doped TiO2 (referred to as ST/SC/CT), is designed for UV-vis-driven hydrogen production. The mass-normalized and effective surface area-normalized hydrogen production activities of ST/SC/CT are higher than those of ST and CT, respectively. The enhancement in photocatalytic performance is primarily attributed to the improved separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers by the dual S-scheme heterojunction. Moreover, C-doping effectively extends the light absorption range from UV to visible and greatly improves the absorption intensity. The heterojunction and charge transfer mechanism are also investigated through microscopy and spectroscopic techniques, as well as density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This work offers valuable insights for the design of novel composites by combining surface modification with heterojunction engineering.

Dual Z-scheme heterojunction Ce2Sn2O7/Ag3PO4/V@g-C3N4 for increased photocatalytic degradation of the food additive tartrazine, in the presence of persulfate: Kinetics, toxicity, and density functional theory studies

This study involved the synthesis of a Ce2Sn2O7/Ag3PO4/V@g-C3N4 composite through hydrothermal methods, followed by mechanical grinding. The resulting heterojunction exhibited improved catalytic activity under visible light by effectively separating electrons and holes (e−/h+). The degradation of Tartrazine (TTZ) reached 93.20% within 50 min by employing a ternary composite at a concentration of 10 mg L−1, along with 6 mg L−1 of PS. The highest pseudo-first-order kinetic constant (0.1273 min−1 and R2 = 0.951) was observed in this system. The dual Z-scheme heterojunction is developed by Ce2Sn2O7, Ag3PO4, and V@g-C3N4, and it may increase the visible light absorption range while also accelerating charge carrier transfer and separation between catalysts. The analysis of the vulnerability positions and degradation pathways of TTZ involved the utilization of density functional theory (DFT) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to examine the intermediate products. Therefore, Ce2Sn2O7/Ag3PO4/V@g-C3N4 is an excellent ternary nanocomposite for the remediation of pollutants.