Degradation Efficiency Of Rhodamine Research Articles

Synthesis, Characterization, Antibacterial and Photocatalytic Studies of Metal Oxides Coupled Nanocomposites

AbstractIn this study, we present a one‐pot synthetic approach for the preparation of metal oxide nanocomposites. Our investigation combines various analytical techniques, including FTIR, XRD, UV‐vis DRS, PL, XPS, SEM, EDX, and XANES, to comprehensively identify heterogeneous structures: SnO2‐CuO, CuO‐SnO2, NiO‐TiO2, and TiO2‐NiO. These metal oxide‐linked semiconductor solids serve as catalysts for dye photodegradation and exhibit remarkable biological activity. Our research is centered on exploring the photocatalytic potential of SnO2‐CuO nanocomposites while emphasizing the optimization of their photocatalytic and biological activities. This optimization is achieved through the careful incorporation of an ideal quantity of SnO2, as confirmed by EDX data, which reveals the composition as follows: O: 78.58 weight percent (0.525 keV), Cu: 12.61 weight percent (0.954 keV), and Sn: 8.81 weight percent (0.400 keV). Notably, under direct sunlight irradiation, the degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B dye surpasses that of pristine CuO, SnO2, TiO2, and NiO nanoparticles. Additionally, we explore the antimicrobial properties of these prepared samples at varying concentrations (50, 100, and 150 μl) against the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. Our findings highlight their effectiveness as antimicrobial agents. This research offers a promising method for developing highly active metal‐oxide‐linked nanomaterials, suitable for efficiently removing organic dye contaminants from water systems and showing great potential in antimicrobial applications.

TiO2 / Graphitic carbon nitride Z-scheme catalyst for binary dye degradation by persulphate activation

In this work, we describe the preparation of the TiO2 (P25) / Graphitic Carbon Nitride composite and the degradation of pollutants using this composite with persulphate activation. The materials are characterized by XRD, FTIR analysis, etc. XRD analysis confirms the presence of TiO2 anatase and GCN and the characteristic functional groups of both TiO2 and GCN are determined with the help of FTIR. The degradation of crystal violet and Rhodamine B in binary mixtures over this synthesized catalyst is easier than individual catalysts separately. The degradation efficiency of crystal violet over TiO2/GCN composite is 1.5 times higher than GCN and 3 times higher than TiO2 alone and the degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B over TiO2/GCN composite is 1.1 times higher than GCN and 2.4 times higher than TiO2 alone. In flat band analysis, a Z-Scheme catalyst is formed between TiO2 and GCN. The electron transfer between the bands of TiO2 and GCN occurs because of proper band alignment between these materials.

Biosynthesis of Ag doped MgO-NiO-ZnO nanocomposite with Ocimum Basilicum L extract and assessment of their biological and photocatalytic applications

In this project, Ag/doped MgONiO-ZnO nanocomposite (NCs) was synthesized by green chemistry method with Ocimum Basilicum L. (OBL) seeds extract for the first time. Phytochemicals present in plant extracts have oxidizing properties and can reduce existing metal ions into the nanocomposite. The successful synthesis of NCs was confirmed by various analyses. The UV–Vis peak at 335 nm confirmed the effective synthesis of NCs. The XRD spectrum illustrated the crystallite structure of NCs with a size of about 33 nm. Using FESEM/PSA/EDX analysis, the morphology, size, and purity of the NCs were examined, revealing a spherical shape with an average size of about 30 to 44 nm. The degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B dye (RhB) solution by NCs was reduced to 90 % under UV light after almost 100 min. According to the result of the MTT test, it was found that the synthesized NCs showed an acceptable killing effect on cancer B16F0 cells with IC50 amount about 490.2 μg/mL, while they did not cause the death of normal L929 ells.

Green synthesis of iron nanoparticles using mulberry leaf extract: characterization, identification of active biomolecules, and catalytic activity.

The synthesis of iron-based nanoparticles (Fe NPs) using traditional preparation methods suffered from the disadvantages of high cost, environmental harm, and easy agglomeration. In this study, a novel eco-friendly method was proposed for the synthesis of iron nanomaterials (ML-Fe NPs): using antioxidant components extracted from mulberry leaf to reduce divalent iron (II). The preparation conditions of ML-Fe NPs were optimized by orthogonal tests. The prepared ML-Fe NPs exhibited an amorphous core-shell structure, displaying excellent dispersion and stability. During the synthesis process of ML-Fe NPs, the polyphenol molecules in mulberry leaf extract played a dominant role. A possible synthetic mechanism involving complexation, reduction, and encapsulation was proposed. Furthermore, the ML-Fe NPs were utilized to construct an ML-Fe NPs/peroxymonosulfate catalytic system for the degradation of Rhodamine B dye wastewater. The ML-Fe NPs demonstrated remarkable catalytic potential, achieving a 99% degradation efficiency for Rhodamine B within a span of 40min.

Fabrication of low-cost, self-floating, and recyclable Janus nanofibrous membrane by centrifugal spinning for photodegradation of dyes

Photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes is an efficient and environmentally friendly technology. To address the challenges of difficult recovery and low reuse of powder catalysts, this study combined the side-by-side centrifugal spinning technique with the nanoparticle co-loading method to prepare heterogeneous structured photocatalytic Janus nanofibrous membranes. Furthermore, the PAN-ZnO//PVDF-TiO2 fibrous membrane exhibited optimal photocatalytic performance and the degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B dye was 76.40%, which was 3.84% and 9.46% higher than that of PAN-ZnO//PVDF and PAN//PVDF-TiO2 with single-sided catalyst loading, respectively. Moreover, even after undergoing five cycles, the photocatalytic degradation rate of dyes by Janus fibrous membrane remained as high as 71.13%. This remarkable and sustained photocatalytic performance is attributed to the stable construction of the Janus fibers and the heterogeneous structure formed between the catalyst components, which successfully facilitates close interfacial contact and improves the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, resulting in enhanced photocatalytic performance. The fabrication process utilized in this study introduces a novel strategy for treating dye pollutants using photocatalytic fiber materials.

Efficient degradation of rhodamine B by MoS2 modified Co-MOF derived nitrogen-doped carbon activated peroxymonosulfate

How to improve the issues of ion agglomeration and metal ion leaching, and how to prepare cobalt-based catalysts with high reactivity and stability, are highly desired yet challenging. In this paper, MoS2 modified Co-MOF derived nitrogen-doped carbon (Co/PCN/MoS2) microspheres rich in active sites were prepared using a simple carbonation-hydrothermal method, with g-C3N4, MoS2 and Co-MOF to overcome the aforementioned limitations. The flower-like nanostructure of MoS2 contributed to exposing more marginal active sites, allowing the high dispersion of Co-MOF within its structure. Meanwhile, Mo4+/Mo6+ and S species coexisted in MoS2, which promoted the valence cycle and electron transfer process, and improved the catalytic activity of the composite. The successful synthesis of Co/PCN/MoS2 was proved by XRD, SEM and FTIR characterizations. The electrochemical performance analysis showed that Co/PCN/MoS2 exhibited higher redox capacity than MoS2, and Co/PCN/MoS2/PMS system achieved the degradation rate of RhB as high as 97.19% within 30 min, which is higher than that of Co-MOF/g-C3N4/PMS (80.67%), Co-MOF/MoS2/PMS (78.08%), Co-MOF/PMS (77.00%), g-C3N4/PMS (53.68%) and MoS2/PMS (28.10%) systems. It had good anti-interference ability against coexisting substances, achieved good degradation performance in a wide pH range (pH 2.0–10.0), and possessed excellent stability and reusability with RhB degradation rate of 91.10% after 5 cycles. The quenching test confirmed that non free radical 1O2 is the main ROS for RhB degradation. This work is expected to provide a new idea and direction for the design and development of metal-doped heterogeneous catalysts with high activity and stability.

Ultra‐Thin Bi12O17Cl2 Nanotube In Situ Coupling to AgI Nanoparticles for Enhancing Photocatalytic Degradation of Pollutants

The continuous industrial development has caused a series of water and environmental pollution while accelerating the social progress. One‐dimensional AgI/Bi12O17Cl2 nanotube materials are prepared by in situ solvothermal method assisted by pH regulation. Series of characterization have been applied to confirm the existence of AgI in Bi12O17Cl2 nanotube system and the synergistic effect for photocatalytic degradation organic pollutants between AgI and Bi12O17Cl2 nanotube. The results show that the prepared AgI/Bi12O17Cl2‐10 composites with AgI theoretical composite value of 10 wt% exhibited the best degradation performance. The degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B within 120 min is 83.52%, and the degradation rate of AgI/Bi12O17Cl2‐10 is 2.12 times than that of Bi12O17Cl2 nanotube under the same conditions. The reason for enhanced photocatalytic activity of composites is the formation of type‐II heterojunctions between AgI and Bi12O17Cl2. The type‐II heterojunctions achieve spatial separation of electrons and holes and improve the utilization of charges, resulting in improved photocatalytic performance of AgI/Bi12O17Cl2 composites. A photocatalytic mechanism of AgI/Bi12O17Cl2 composites is proposed.

Tremendously enhanced catalytic performance of Fe(III)/peroxymonosulfate process by trace Cu(II): A high-valent metals domination in organics removal

Dissolved copper and iron ions are regarded as friendly and economic catalysts for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, however, neither Cu(II) nor Fe(III) shows efficient catalytic performance because of the slow rates of Cu(II)/Cu(I) and Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycles. Innovatively, we observed a significant enhancement on the degradation of organic contaminants when Cu(II) and Fe(III) were coupled to activate PMS in borate (BA) buffer. The degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB, 20 µmol/L) reached up to 96.3% within 10 min, which was higher than the sum of individual Cu(II)- and Fe(III)- activated PMS process. Sulfate radical, hydroxyl radical and high-valent metal ions (i.e., Cu(III) and Fe(IV)) were identified as the working reactive species for RhB removal in Cu(II)/Fe(III)/PMS/BA system, while the last played a predominated role. The presence of BA dramatically facilitated the reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) via chelating with Cu(II) followed by Fe(III) reduction by Cu(I), resulting in enhanced PMS activation by Cu(I) and Fe(II) as well as accelerated generation of reactive species. Additionally, the strong buffering capacity of BA to stabilize the solution pH was satisfying for the pollutants degradation since a slightly alkaline environment favored the PMS activation by coupling Cu(II) and Fe(III). In a word, this work provides a brand-new insight into the outstanding PMS activation by homogeneous bimetals and an expanded application of iron-based advanced oxidation processes in alkaline conditions.

Synergetic piezo-photocatalytic effect in NaNbO3/WO3 photocatalyst for RhB degradation

Improving the separation efficiency of photo-generated charge carriers is an important strategy to enhance the photocatalytic performance. In this paper, the NaNbO3/WO3 composite photocatalyst was prepared via a hydrothermal method, which exhibited a substantial increase in photocatalytic activity through the synergetic effect of visible light irradiation and ultrasound vibration. The XRD, FT-IR, Raman, SEM, XPS, UV–vis DRS, and photoluminescence spectroscopy results indicated that a large number of WO3 particles were tightly attached to the surface of NaNbO3 nanowires in the NaNbO3/WO3 composite catalyst. Under the piezo-photocatalysis condition, the degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) by 5 % NaNbO3/WO3 was significantly improved, reaching 73.7 % within 120 min. Meanwhile, the piezo-photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the NaNbO3/WO3 composite catalyst was increased by 30.1 % compared to single photocatalysis, and the corresponding reaction rate constant (K) was 2.23 times than that of single photocatalysis. In addition, quenching tests showed that h+ was the primary active species in piezo-photocatalytic process. The significant enhancement of piezo-photocatalytic performance was attributed to the piezoelectric field caused by the bending deformation of the NaNbO3 nanowires, which was an important driving force for photo-generated charge carrier separation. Furthermore, the production of multiple redox active sites simultaneously improved the photocatalytic performance.

Efficient Degradation of Rhodamine B Dye through Hand Warmer Heterogeneous Activation of Persulfate

In this study, an innovative method for RhB (Rhodamine B) degradation in a persulfate (PS) and hand warmer heterogeneous activation system was investigated. The hand warmer showed better catalytic performance and excellent reusability in terms of PS activation. The reaction rate constants of RhB removal in the hand warmer/PS process (0.354 min−1) were much faster than those in other PS- and Fe-related processes (0.010–0.233 min−1) at pH 7. The iron in the hand warmer is the main active ingredient to catalyze PS, and activated carbon, salt, and H+/OH− accelerate the activated reaction due to the formation of micro-batteries in the solution. Moreover, the catalyst of the hand warmer showed excellent stability and reusability with a low level of iron leaching. This new, effective, inexpensive, repeatable, and environmentally friendly catalyst combined with PS has promising prospects for the removal of dyes from industrial wastewater.

Enhanced interfacial charge transfer via in-situ construction of integrated NiO/NiCo2O4 heterojunction coupled with carbon layer for high-performance supercapacitor and photocatalysis

Constructing heterostructured composites presents a promising approach to enhance both electrochemical and photocatalytic performance. However, the low interfacial charge transfer efficiency caused by lattice mismatch severely hinders its potential application. Herein, integrated NiO/NiCo2O4 heterostructure with dodecahedral structure has been facilely prepared by a one-step in situ calcination method. In addition, to further promote the yield of photogenerated electrons and enhance electrochemical reaction kinetics, a carbon layer for charge transport is incorporated onto the outer shell of NiO/NiCo2O4 heterostructured. The elaborate designed and constructed integrated C1.0 @NiO/NiCo2O4 heterojunctions with efficient interfacial charge transfer channels exhibit an excellent gravimetric specific capacitance of 588 F g−1 at 1 Ag−1 for three electrode cell. Moreover, the C1.0 @NiO/NiCo2O4//AC supercapacitor has an excellent energy density of 68.13 Wh kg−1 at a high power density of 750 W kg−1, delivering a retention rate of capacitance exceeding 91.4% over 10000 cycles. The visible-light-induced degradation efficiency of rhodamine B (RhB) was determined to be 83.68% within a duration of 120 min. And a probable mechanism for its removal was proposed based on DFT calculations and experimental results of electrochemistry and photocatalysis. This work offers a novel perspective on the rational design of integrated heterostructured materials with enhanced interfacial charge transfer for high-performance supercapacitors and visible light-driven photocatalysis.

Constructed CdS/Mn-MOF heterostructure for promoting photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B

A new 3D Mn-MOF was prepared with the ligand H2L (H2L = 5-(pyrazin-2-yl) isophthalic acid) by solvothermal method. Then the Mn-MOF was used as a precursor to synthesize CdS/Mn-MOF composites. The degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) by CdS/Mn-MOF (theoretical mass ratio of CdS to Mn-MOF is 1:1) is 98.7% in 60 min, which is 19.7 times and 2.3 times that of Mn-MOF and CdS, respectively. The outstanding performance is owed to the loading of CdS, which significantly broadens the photoresponsive range of Mn-MOF and improves the utilization of visible light. Meanwhile, the heterojunction formed between Mn-MOF and CdS can effectively inhibit the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes. Furthermore, the photocurrent intensity of CdS/Mn-MOF(50) is higher than that of Mn-MOF and CdS. The photocatalytic performance of CdS/Mn-MOF(50) also exhibits excellent stability and reusability. In addition, the enhanced mechanism of photocatalytic activity was investigated systematically.

CeVO4 nanoparticle coupled with Ag/AgBr as an efficient plasmonic photocatalyst for degradation of rhodamine B: Construction, characterization, and mechanism insight

The unique characteristics of the surface plasmon resonance effect significantly improve the utilization rate of solar energy and charge separation of narrow band-gap semiconductor materials. In this work, Ag/AgBr/CeVO4 plasmonic photocatalyst was synthesized by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method, followed by in-situ precipitation and photoreduction process. The as-prepared Ag/AgBr/CeVO4-2.0 composite showed superior photocatalytic efficiency for degradation of rhodamine B (84.2% in 10 min), which was 1.45 and 84.2 times higher than that of Ag/AgBr and pristine CeVO4 nanoparticles (NPS, size 30–50 nm), respectively. Photoluminescence and photocurrent tests indicated the rapid transfer and separation of electron–hole pairs in this plasmonic system, which can be attributed to the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag NPs. In investigations on band structure and radical quenching experiments, a Z-scheme photocatalytic system bridged by the Ag NPs was proposed. This research offers revealing insight into the design and fabrication of the CeVO4 plasmonic photocatalytic system for application in environment purification and remediation.

Enhanced tribocatalytic pollutant degradation through tuning oxygen vacancy in BaTiO3 nanoparticles

Effective control of pathogen contamination is crucial for maintaining water security. This study investigated the impact of oxygen vacancys (OVs) content on the tribocatalytic performance of ferroelectric barium titanate (BTO) and its suitability as a tribocatalyst for water disinfection. The degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) was increased by nearly 4-folds due to the appropriate OVs on the surface of BTO. In addition, experimental variables including the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the reaction solution, the temperature of reaction system, friction frequency, and charge transfer capacity were identified as important factors for tribocatalysis. Atom force microscope (AFM) imaging and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that OVs couldn’t improve the electron transfer ability during BTO tribocatalysis. The excellent tribocatalytic performance of BTO-VO2 is due to the effective separation of electron and hole and the reduction of band gap. It is proposed that the tribocatalytic performance of BTO is determined by the electron transfer on the surface and the electron transition inside the catalyst. The simple stirring of BTO-VO2 tribocatalysts can effectively degrade organic molecules and inactivate model bacteria, which provides insights into the feasibility of wastewater treatment under dark conditions.

3D-printed N-doped porous carbon aerogels for efficient flow-through degradation and disinfection of wastewater

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have great potential for water treatment. Herein, a 3D nitrogen-doped porous carbon (3D-NPC) aerogel has been prepared by direct ink writing of a hydrogel containing agarose, urea, sodium chloride and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and subsequent freeze-drying and pyrolysis. The obtained 3D-printed aerogel exhibits multiple desirable properties including self-supportability, hierarchical porous structure, and good structural stability, and thus can be used as a monolithic catalytic filter in flow-through experiments. The 3D-NPC catalysts have demonstrated excellent PMS-based performances toward degradation of organic dyes and disinfection of bacterial culture. The degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B by 3D-NPC is as high as 97.2% within 5 min and the high degradation efficiency can be sustained for 5 h. Moreover, 100% inactivation of bacteria by 3D-NPC can also be maintained for at least 5 h, which far exceeds those of traditional catalysts. The key reactive species of the 3D-NPC + PMS system is found to be singlet oxygen in both Rhodamine B degradation and antibacterial disinfection, where the non-radical pathway contributes to the majority of the catalytic activity. Our work has innovatively presented a 3D-printed monolithic catalyst for efficient flow-through degradation and disinfection.

Efficient degradation of Rhodamine B by coupling of Lys-CoFe-layered double hydroxide@graphitic-C3N4 nanohybrids via photocatalysis under visible light

The photocatalyst Lys-FeCoLDH@g-C3N4 nanohybrids were synthesized successfully by a facile in situ co-precipitation method. It is found that the layered nanosheet degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B reached 98.07% in 90 min under visible light irradiation by photocatalysis. In addition, photo-electrochemical measurements demonstrated that the structure of 5 %Lys-CoFe-LDH@g-C3N4 could enhance the separation efficiency and transfer of photogenerated carriers. This study provides a new idea for the development of novel photocatalysts for the high-efficiency and active degradation of wastewater.

Effect of Strontium Substitution on the Tribocatalytic Performance of Barium Titanate.

This study investigates the impact of Sr doping on the tribocatalytic performance of BaTiO3 in degrading organic pollutants. Ba1-xSrxTiO3 (x = 0-0.3) nanopowders are synthesized and their tribocatalytic performance evaluated. By doping Sr into BaTiO3, the tribocatalytic performance was enhanced, resulting in an approximately 35% improvement in the degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B using Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3. Factors such as the friction contact area, stirring speed, and materials of the friction pairs also influenced the dye degradation. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that Sr doping improved BaTiO3's charge transfer efficiency, thereby boosting its tribocatalytic performance. These findings indicate potential applications for Ba1-xSrxTiO3 in dye degradation processes.

Preparation and visible light catalytic degradation of magnetically recyclable ZnFe2O4/BiOBr flower-like microspheres

The construction of a binary heterojunction is a crucial method for solving the low separation efficiency and photon utilization of BiOBr (BOB) photogeneration carriers. In this study, magnetic recyclable ZnFe2O4/BiOBr (ZFB) heterojunction microspheres containing oxygen vacancies were prepared using a two-step solvothermal method. The results of X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis show that ZnFe2O4 (ZFO) induces the growth of a nanolayer structure on the surface of BOB, the diffraction peak intensity ratio of I(102)/I(110) increases, and the specific surface area increases significantly. The analysis of photoelectric characteristics indicates that compared with BOB, ZFB has a smaller bandgap, a larger visible response range, and a higher photogenerated carrier migration and separation efficiency. ZFB can significantly degrade the activated benzene ring in organic molecules, with the degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB), norfloxacin (NOR), and sulfadiazine (SDZ) reaching 99.04 %, 91.70 %, and 86.64 %, respectively. Under the magnetic recovery, the five-cycle degradation performance retention rate reaches more than 92 %. Holes and superoxide radicals are the main active substances of ZFB photocatalytic materials for degradation of micropollutants. This research provides an idea for the preparation of a green and efficient photocatalytic material with high recyclable efficiency, which can simultaneously degrade various micropollutants in organic wastewater.

In situ growth of flower sphere Bi2WO6/Bi-MOF heterojunction with enhanced photocatalytic degradation of pollutants: DFT calculation and mechanism

The construction of heterojunctions is an optimal strategy to achieve efficient charge separation and enhance photocatalytic performance. Hence, the flower sphere-like Bi2WO6/Bi-MOF heterojunction were fabricated by in situ growth method of Bi2WO6 on Bi-MOF, and the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants under visible light irradiation was conducted to evaluate their photocatalytic performance. The optimized Bi2WO6/Bi-MOF-0.4 photocatalyst exhibited high photocatalytic activity. The degradation efficiencies of Rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) were 96 % and 80 % within 60 min of light irradiation respectively. The superior photocatalytic activity can be ascribed to the constructed type II heterojunction interface between Bi-MOF and Bi2WO6, which significantly accelerated the separation efficiency of interface charges. The possible mechanism for photocatalytic degradation of the pollutant was proposed by Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and band structure. In addition, the degradation pathways of intermediates during photodegradation were investigated by liquid chromatography analysis with mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

Novel synthesis method of oxygen vacancy WO3 and its photocatalytic performance for degradation of rhodamine B

AbstractBACKGROUNDPhotocatalytic degradation of organic pollution as a ‘green’ treatment technology has been a broad concern in water treatment. This work proposed a simple method for introducing oxygen vacancies into WO3 and enhancing the degradation of WO3 for rhodamine B under simulated solar light.RESULTSIn this work, titanium power was used as an oxygen absorber to introduce oxygen vacancies into WO3. The degradation of organic dyes by semiconductor materials is significantly improved by the presence of oxygen vacancies. After 4 h of simulated sunlight irradiation, 100% degradation efficiency of rhodamine B by WO3 with vacancies was achieved, compared to about 60% by WO3. Combined with liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and total organic carbon analysis results, we speculated the degradation path of rhodamine B degraded by WO3‐2.CONCLUSIONThere exist three reasons for the enhanced photocatalytic performance of oxygen‐containing vacancy WO3: (i) the introduction of vacancies generates an energy level of the donor that can reduce the band gap; (ii) the presence of oxygen vacancies can effectively prevent the electron–hole complexation process; and (iii) oxygen vacancies increase the adsorption capacity of the catalyst. It is expected that this method of oxygen vacancy introduction can be extended to other semiconductor systems to achieve higher performance in pollutant degradation and water remediation. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).