Efficient Electron-hole Separation Research Articles

Lattice strain engineered reactive oxygen species generation of NaNbO3 ferroelectric

The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) using ambient mechanical energy with piezoelectric materials is emerging as a promising method for producing renewable green oxidants. However, the low piezoelectricity and limited electron-hole pair separation efficiency significantly hinder its productivity. Here, non-stoichiometric Na1-xNbO3-δ perovskites with lattice strain and ferroelectric enhancement were successfully designed to boost the piezo-catalytic activity. Significantly, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide radicals (•O2-), and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) were powerfully generated by the Na0.95NbO2.975 piezo-catalyst through redox reaction with rates of 362.4, 69.3, and 65.0 µmol∙g−1∙h−1, respectively, and the yield of H2O2 was approximately three times higher than that of the stoichiometric NaNbO3. The elevated piezoelectricity and polarization electric field effects induced by lattice strain could promote the generation of electron-hole pairs and drive them to separate facilely. The distribution of sodium vacancies and oxygen vacancies in the crystal lattice enhanced the diffusion of carriers for fast migration to the opposite surface of the catalyst. Furthermore, the presence of Na defects enhanced the adsorption of O2 on the Na1-xNbO3-δ surface and contributed to the catalytic generation of H2O2. This work provides a novel and effective methodology for the design of high-performance piezo-catalysts with lattice-strained engineering and broadens the strategy for improved H2O2 evolution efficiency.

Enhancement of microplastics degradation with MIL-101 modified BiOI photocatalyst under light and dark alternated system

The composite material combining BiOI with metal-organic frameworks, was developed as catalyst for microplastics degradation. The preparation was modified to achieve the optimal composite catalyst BiOI/MIL-101–40%. The composites exhibited a larger surface area, superior photo-activity, and a distinct heterojunction structure, which accelerated the separation of electrons and holes. Besides, the inclusion of Fe(II) within MIL-101 could construct a photo-Fenton reaction upon the addition of H2O2 in the solution. The carbonyl index of treated polyethylene microplastics increased by 0.127 after 6 h reaction, which was 5.3 and 3.7 times higher than monomer BiOI and MIL-101, respectively. Efficient electron-hole separation and Fe(III)/Fe(II) conversion improved the rate-limiting step of the Fenton process, leading to a synergistic effect between photocatalysis and Fenton reaction, significantly enhancing PE degradation efficiency. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy and selective radical quenching experiments were performed to detect the active components, and the main active species proved to be the hydroxyl radical and the hole. The band structure of the photocatalyst and intermediate products in the reaction solution were subsequently analyzed, leading to the inference of potential reaction mechanisms and pathways. The catalyst-built Fenton system demonstrated outstanding proficiency even under alternating light and dark conditions. The extracted microplastic samples also confirmed the feasibility of this system for complex samples. In conclusion, this study highlighted a green and efficient approach that may be used in future industrial applications to combat microplastic pollution.

Small‐Bandgap Transducers Induced Carrier Separation for In Situ Dual‐Amplified Tumor Oxidative Stress

AbstractThe inherent and unique charge‐carrier release characteristics of piezoelectric sonosensitizers with desired bandgap can be leveraged to initiate reactive oxygen species (ROS) reactions that have considerable potential for sonodynamic therapy (SDT). In this study, a bimetallic Bi4NbO8Br‐polyvinylpyrrolidone (BNOBP) with a small bandgap (2.45 eV) is synthesized as a potential piezoelectric sonosensitizer. The robust interactions within and between the Bi─O and Nb─O layers narrow the bandgap, facilitating carrier transfer. Concurrently, compared with that of TiO2 and BiOBr, BNOBP exhibits a rapid acoustoelectric response and desirable electron–hole separation efficiency, enabling the generation of ·O2− under ultrasound (US) irradiation. Notably, BNOBP alleviates the overexpression of glutathione (GSH) in tumors and prevents the consumption of the generated ROS by GSH. Combining the previous small bandgap endow the high ROS generation efficiency, this study provides a paradigm for in situ regulation of oxidative stress levels in tumor tissue microenvironment based on bimetallic piezoelectric sonosensitizers.

Covalent copper-organic frameworks with light-activable catalytic centers as smart artificial enzymes for highly sensitive and wide-range biocatalytic diagnosis

As a popular sensing method, colorimetric biosensing has the advantages of convenient operation, low cost, fast response, and easy readout. However, due to the complex structure of nanomaterials, low catalytic activity, and unclear catalytic mechanisms, constructing efficient, stable, and specific artificial biocatalysts for colorimetric biosensing is still a challenge. In this study, to propose a new colorimetric biosensing system, we synthesize three different types of copper cyclic trinuclear unit-based 2D copper-organic frameworks (CuOFs) with covalent structures and light-activable catalytic centers to serve as smart artificial enzymes for highly sensitive and wide-range biocatalytic diagnosis. By varying the light absorption centers, CuOFs with different band structures, light absorption capacity, photoelectron transfer efficiency, and electron-hole pair separation efficiency can be obtained. Of the three covalent CuOFs, tris(4-aminophenyl)amine (Tpa)-Cu3 exhibited the widest light absorption range, the narrowest band gap, the smallest electron transfer barrier, and the best-photoinduced charge separation efficiency, which was conducive to improving the light capture ability and eventually improving the photocatalytic properties. Further tests demonstrated that Tpa-Cu3 exhibited the best peroxidase-like activity under visible light irradiation, which could effectively diagnose the glucose and common antioxidants with a wider detection range and lower detection limit than many previously reported biocatalytic materials. We expect this design will provide new insights into enzyme-like organic framework materials and unique systems for high-sensitive and wide-range colorimetric detection for future biocatalytic applications.

Sub-Band Assisted Z-Scheme for Effective Non-Sacrificial H2O2 Photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis of H2O2 from earth-abundant O2 and H2O molecules offers an eco-friendly route for solar-to-chemical conversion. The persistent challenge is to tune the photo-/thermo- dynamics of a photocatalyst toward efficient electron-hole separation while maintaining an effective driving force for charge transfer. Such a case is achieved here by way of a synergetic strategy of sub-band-assisted Z-Scheme for effective H2O2 photosynthesis via direct O2 reduction and H2O oxidation without a sacrificial agent. The optimized SnS2/g-C3N4 heterojunction shows a high reactivity of 623.0µmolg-1h-1 for H2O2 production under visible-light irradiation (λ>400nm) in pure water, ≈6 times higher than pristine g-C3N4 (100.5µmolg-1h-1). Photodynamic characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal that the enhanced photoactivity is due to a markedly promoted lifetime of trapped active electrons (204.9ps in the sub-band and >2.0ns in a shallow band) and highly improved O2 activation, as a result of the formation of a suitable sub-band and catalytic sites along with a low Gibbs-free energy for charge transfer. Moreover, the Z-Scheme heterojunction creates and sustains a large driving force for O2 and H2O conversion to high value-added H2O2.

Oxygen vacancies nanoarchitectonics in BiVO4/WO3 heterostructured photoanode for effective berberine wastewater purification and electricity generation

BackgroundPhotoanode, as a key component of the photocatalytic fuel cell, still faces challenges for high-efficiency wastewater treatment and synchronous electricity generation, owing to low electron-hole separation efficiency and light response. MethodsOxygen vacancies were rationally introduced on BiVO4/WO3 (OV-BiVO4/WO3) as visible-light-responsive photoanode, through a simple two-step hydrothermal method. The favorable activities were primarily derived from the synergistic effects of the oxygen vacancies and heterojunction, which extended the light adsorption range and significantly improved the separation ability of photogenerated carriers, revealing by comprehensive experiments and theoretical calculations. Significant FindingsCompared with WO3, BiVO4 and BiVO4/WO3, OV-BiVO4/WO3 exhibited highest berberine degradation rate (97.7 %, 120 min) and maximum power density (0.42 mW cm−2). Further, the influence of water conditions on photocatalytic performance was explored considering the complexity of actual wastewater. The findings evidenced that ·OH and ·O2− mainly participated in antibiotic decomposition. The photocatalytic reaction mechanism and berberine degradation pathway over OV-BiVO4/WO3 were proposed. This study emphasizes the importance of oxygen vacancies engineering controlling over the surface catalytic performance of photoelectrode and electricity generation, and illustrates the potential of for water remediation and energy production.

Photogenerated carriers transfer in Pd/TiO2-AgO heterojunction and its photocatalytic behaviors on oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene

Photocatalytic oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene with a high selectivity is an attractive reaction. In this study, different types of heterojunctions between Pd/TiO2 and a second metal oxide semiconductor were designed and synthesized to realize high activity conversion of C2H6 to C2H4. Pd/TiO2-AgO heterojunction was proved with best reaction performance. The addition of AgO facilitated the activation of reactant molecules. It enhanced directional transfer of electron-hole pairs and separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers. Pd/TiO2-5 % AgO heterojunction was proved with the best separation ability of photogenerated carriers and the largest number of surface hydroxyl groups. Detailed charge transfer path and reaction mechanism were proposed and discussed.

Facile preparation of ZIF-67 on TiO2 and enhancement photocathodic protection for 316L stainless steel

Photocathodic protection (PCP) anticorrosion using sunlight is a green and sustainable technology. However, the ease of carriers compounding and the low light utilization are still the main restraints to its development. To develop an effective photoanode, a metal-organic framework (MOF, i.e., ZIF-67) material is electrodeposited and grown in-situ on TiO2 nanorods. The morphological structure, light absorption properties, photoelectrochemical properties and cathodic protection principle of ZIF-67/TiO2 photoanode are analysed by SEM, PL, I-V and EIS. The material characterization and light absorption characteristics show that the photoanode has good light absorption performance and higher electron hole separation efficiency. Photoelectrochemical test shows that ZIF-67/TiO2 photoanode has excellent photocathodic protection for 316L stainless steel (316L SS). ZTRs-60 has the optimal protection effect. Under simulated sunlight, the OCP of 316L SS coupled ZTRs-60 is -0.41 V vs. Ag/AgCl, and the current density of the I-t curve can reach 20 μA/cm2. EIS and Tafel tests show that the photogenerated electrons transfer to the stainless steel surface, which promotes the cathode polarization process and alleviates the metal corrosion.

The construction of Z-scheme heterojunction ZnIn2S4@CuO with enhanced charge transfer capability and its mechanism study for the visible light degradation of tetracycline

In this study, copper oxide (CuO) was prepared by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal technique subsequently, CuO was grown in situ onto different rare metal compounds to prepare Z-scheme heterojunctions to improve the degradation efficiency of tetracycline (TC) in water environments. Various characterization proved the successful synthesis of all composite materials, and the formation of tight heterojunction interfaces, among which, the core–shell structure ZnIn2S4@CuO exhibited excellent photocatalytic degradation capability. Research results indicated that the degradation efficiency of ZnIn2S4@CuO for TC (50 mg/L) in the water environment reached 95.8 %, and the degradation rate is 2.41 times and 12.93 times that of CuO and ZnIn2S4 alone, respectively, the reason is because of the introduction of ZnIn2S4, Z-scheme heterojunction structures and internal electric field (IEF) is constructed and formed to extend the visible light response range of photocatalysts to improve electron-hole separation efficiency, and enhance charge transfer. In addition, ZnIn2S4@CuO-2 exhibited good stability and reproducibility, with no significant loss of activity after five cycles. Finally, the precise locations of free radical attack on TC were investigated by the combined use of high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MC) and frontier electron densities (FEDs), and a reasonable degradation pathway was provided. The results of this research provide a new and viable approach to overcome the limitations of conventional photocatalytic materials in terms of limited visible light absorption range and fast carrier recombination rates, which offers promising prospects for a wide range of applications in the field of wastewater purification.

Research progress on ZnO/MoS2/rGO ternary photocatalysts

Energy shortages and environmental pollution have become one of the important global issues, and semiconductor photocatalytic technology is considered one of the most effective means to solve these problems. As a new and efficient green material, ZnO has attracted wide attention. ZnO is widely used in the field of photocatalysis due to its non-toxicity, low cost, environmental friendliness, adjustable band gap, high electron density, and chemical stability. However, the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers in ZnO hinders its practical application and lowers the utilization efficiency of visible light. On the other hand, molybdenum disulfide/reduced graphene oxide (MoS2/rGO), as a binary non-precious metal co-catalyst, has a larger specific surface area, suitable band gap width, and visible light response capability compared to a single-phase graphene co-catalyst. Therefore, introducing the MoS2/rGO co-catalyst into the ZnO system can provide more active sites, reduce the probability of photogenerated charge carrier recombination, and improve the utilization efficiency of visible light. In this review, we summarize the hydrothermal synthesis methods for preparing this highly demanded nanocomposite material, including one-step and stepwise methods. Subsequently, we elaborate on the mechanism of enhancing light absorption and achieving efficient electron-hole separation behavior in the ternary system heterojunction structure during the photocatalytic process. Due to its significant advantages, this ternary system heterojunction structure has been widely applied in the field of photocatalysis, including applications such as pollutant degradation, sterilization, and water splitting.

Acid modification on ZnIn2S4 with sulfur vacancy for highly efficient photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI)

Anion vacancies caused by acid treatment over photocatalysts have significant influences on photocatalytic processes. In this study, the ZnIn2S4 (denoted as ZIS) nanoflower samples were synthesized using a one-step hydrothermal process and then impregnated with different amounts of nitric acid solutions. The gathered samples were characterized using XRD, SEM, XPS, BET, and EPR, and their photocatalytic reduction activity of Cr(VI) was also studied. Owing to defect structures, the removal of Cr(VI) of sulfur-rich vacancies ZIS-NA-3 reached nearly 100% within 90 min under simulated solar light, which was about 3 times greater than that of the original ZIS. In summary, this study confirmed that nitric acid treatment could form a defect state on the surface of catalysts, enhancing the light absorption range and improving the electron-hole pair separation efficiency. Furthermore, the stability and recycling of the ZIS-NA-3 catalysts were evaluated. This work offered a simple surface modification technique for constructing high-activity photocatalysts so as to achieve the purpose of removal from polluted wastewater containing Cr(VI).

A covalent organic framework integrating photocatalytic center and electron reservoir for photocatalytic CO2 reduction to HCOOH

Direct and efficient photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into fuels and high value-added chemicals under sunlight is of great significance in alleviating the energy crisis and environmental issues. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have attracted much attention in the photocatalytic field as materials that can be pre-designed on demand. Taking advantage of the pre-designable properties of COFs materials, the integration of organic building blocks with photocatalytic activity and photoelectron-resident properties into frameworks can improve the electron-hole separation efficiency and photocatalytic performance. Here, we report a newly designed COF (COF-TVBT-N) with triazine and alkenyl groups that can be used as a photocatalyst to accomplish the photoreduction of CO2 to HCOOH under simulated sunlight without the assistance of metal sites and photosensitizers. Furthermore, we unambiguously reveal that the photocatalytic active center in COF-TVBT-N is TVBT through the combination of experiments and theoretical calculations. DFT calculations suggest that the adsorption of H near the active center is beneficial for the adsorption and photoreduction of CO2 in this photocatalytic system. The photoexcitation process and photocatalytic CO2 reduction mechanism of COF-TVBT-N are also reasonably deduced based on DFT calculations. This work provides ideas for the design of COFs as photocatalysts for CO2 reduction and gives insights into the mechanism of CO2 conversion to HCOOH.

Narrow Bandgap Schottky Heterojunction Sonosensitizer with High Electron-Hole Separation Boosted Sonodynamic Therapy in Bladder Cancer.

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is applied to bladder cancer (BC) given its advantages of high depth of tissue penetration and nontoxicity due to the unique anatomical location of the bladder near the abdominal surface. However, low electron-hole separation efficiency and wide bandgap of sonosensitizers limit the effectiveness of SDT. This study aims to develop a TiO2-Ru-PEG Schottky heterojunction sonosensitizer with high electron-hole separation and narrow bandgap for SDT in BC. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experiments collectively demonstrate that the bandgap of TiO2-Ru-PEG is reduced due to the Schottky heterojunction with the characteristic of crystalline-amorphous interface formed by the deposition of ruthenium (Ru) within the shell layer of TiO2. Thanks to the enhancement of oxygen adsorption and the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs, TiO2-Ru-PEG promotes the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under ultrasound (US) irradiation, resulting in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of bladder tumor cells. The in vivo results prove that TiO2-Ru-PEG boosted the subcutaneous and orthotopic bladder tumor models while exhibiting good safety. This study adopts the ruthenium complex for optimizing sonosensitizers, contributing to the progress of SDT improvement strategies and presenting a paradigm for BC therapy.

Peroxymonosulfate enhanced photocatalytic degradation of organic dye by metal-free TpTt-COF under visible light irradiation

Recently, the activation of persulfate (PDS) by non-metallic photocatalysts under visible light has attracted significant interest in applications in environmental remediation. This study presents a pioneering investigation into the combined application of the TpTt-COF and PMS for visible light degradation of organic dyes. Synthesized orange TpTt-COF monomers exhibit exceptional crystallinity, a 2D structure, and notable stability in harsh conditions. The broad visible light absorption around a wavelength of 708 nm. The TpTt-COF emerges as a promising candidate for photocatalytic dye degradation. The study addresses high charge recombination in the TpTt-COF, highlighting the crucial role of its electron donor and acceptor for the PMS activation. Comparative analyses against traditional photocatalytic materials, such as the metal-free carbon-based material g-C3N4 and transition metal-containing TiO2, demonstrate TpTt-COF's superior performance, generating diverse free radicals. In simulated experiments, the TpTt-COF's degradation rate surpasses PMS-combined g-C3N4 by 13.9 times. and 1.6 times higher than the TpTt-COF alone. Remarkably, the TpTt-COF maintains high activity under harsh environments. Investigations into the degradation mechanism and the TpTt-COF's reusability reveal its efficiency and stability. Under visible light, TpTt-COF facilitates efficient electron–hole separation. Combining the TpTt-COF with PMS produces various radicals, ensuring effective separation and a synergistic effect. Radical quenching experiments confirm the pivotal role of O2-· radicals, while ·OH and SO4-· radicals intensify the degradation. After five cycles, TpTt-COF maintains an impressive 83.2% degradation efficiency. This study introduces an efficient photocatalytic system mediated by PMS and valuable insights into governing mechanisms for organic pollutant degradation in water environments.

2D Copper–Porphyrin Metal–Organic Framework Nanosheet‐Photosensitized TiO2 for Efficiently Broadband Light‐Driven Conversion of CO2 to CH4

The effective utilization of light is crucial in the use of the solar energy for CO2 conversion into valuable fuels and chemicals, in which improving the photocatalytic materials’ capacity to absorb light is a key. Herein, a 2D copper–porphyrin metal−organic framework (MOF)‐photosensitized titania, TiO2/Zn–CuTCPP, is reported, which can absorb wide range of light and photoreduce CO2 with high efficiency under full spectrum irradiation. Fluorescence spectral analysis elucidates the relationship between the photocatalytic activity and the electron–hole separation efficiency. In addition, mechanistic information obtained from electron paramagnetic resonance and in situ infrared analyses demonstrates that the presence of Cu–N4 site in the MOF structure is conducive to the generation of hydrogen free radicals (•H), which plays a key role in the formation of intermediates, thus facilitating the hydrogenation in the reaction process. Consequently, TiO2/Zn–CuTCPP significantly enhances the photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into CH4 with a yield 14 times higher than that of P25.

Layered double hydroxides derived prussian blue analogue nanocage confining NiCoP nanoparticles as efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst

Designing novel electrocatalysts with excellent catalytic activity for efficient water splitting is necessary to achieve the large-scale H2/O2 production from renewable resources. In this study, a facile hydrothermal method followed by low-temperature phosphorylation treatment was employed to fabricate a nanocage of prussian blue analogue encapsulating NiCoP nanoparticles (NiCoP@PBA), which was derived from the layered double hydroxide precursor. As a bifunctional non-precious metal electrocatalyst, NiCoP@PBA demonstrates superior performance in KOH electrolyte water splitting, with overpotentials of 59 mV for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and 263 mV for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at 10 mA cm−2. The catalyst also exhibits low Tafel slopes of 54 mV dec−1 for HER and 120 mV dec−1 for OER, reflecting efficient charge transfer kinetics. DFT simulations show that the Co–N moieties at the heterogeneous interface of NiCoP@PBA can optimize the surface electron distribution and energy states, thus facilitating efficient electron-hole pair separation, significantly enhancing catalytic activity for both HER and OER process, and significantly extending the electrocatalyst's service life. Our approach can be extended to more non-precious metal electrocatalysts, which is significant for the design of efficient bifunctional water splitting electrocatalysts.

BiOCl/BiOBr composites for efficient photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction

BiOBr (BOB) photocatalysts have low photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance due to their low electron-hole pair separation efficiency. To improve this problem, BiOCl (BOCl) is used as a co-catalyst. BOCl is loaded into BOB to form BiOCl/BiOBr (BOCl/BOB) type Ⅰ heterojunction, which enhances the photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance of BOB by promoting the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. The results of TPR and PL experiments show that the 20% BOCl/BOB composites have the highest photogenerated carrier separation rate, and the results of CO2 reduction experiments show that 20% BOCl/BOB composites have the best photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance of 7.353 μmolg−1h−1, which is 3.22 and 1.99 times higher than pure BOB and BOCl, respectively. This work provides an effective reference for the development of modified photocatalysts.

NH2-UiO-66 modification BiOBr enhancement photoreduction CO2 to CO

As a typical semiconductor catalyst, BiOBr has an advisable bandgap, superior light absorption properties, and a unique laminated structure. However, the slow electron-hole separation rate results in poor CO2 reduction performance. To enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of BiOBr, this study constructs BiOBr heterojunctions with Lewis basic groups by loading NH2-UiO-66 on BiOBr. The BiOBr/NH2-UiO-66 heterojunction have been built and possess stronger light response, larger specific surface area and electron-hole separation efficiency compared to pure BiOBr and NH2-UiO-66. The optimal BiOBr/NH2-UiO-66 displays that the CO yield is 9.19 μmol g-1h−1, which is 4 times higher than pure BiOBr.

Engineering NH2-Cu-NH2 Triple-atom Sites in Defective MOFs for Selective Overall Photoreduction of CO2 into CH3COCH3.

Selective photoreduction of CO2 to multicarbon products, is an important but challenging task, due to high CO2 activation barriers and insufficient catalytic sites for C-C coupling. Herein, a defect engineering strategy for incorporating copper sites into the connected nodes of defective metal-organic framework UiO-66-NH2 for selective overall photo-reduction of CO2 into acetone. The Cu2+ site in well-modified CuN2O2 units served as a trapping site to capture electrons via efficient electron-hole separation, forming the active Cu+ site for CO2 reduction. Two NH2 groups in CuN2O2 unit adsorb CO2 and cooperated with copper ion to functionalize as a triple atom catalytic site, each interacting with one CO2 molecule to strengthen the binding of *CO intermediate to the catalytic site. The deoxygenated *CO attached to the Cu site interacted with *CH3 fixed at one amino group to form the key intermediate CO*-CH3, which interacted with the third reduction intermediate on another amino group to produce acetone. Our photocatalyst realizes efficient overall CO2 reduction to C3 product acetone CH3COCH3 with an evolution rate of 70.9 μmol gcat -1 h-1 and a selectivity up to 97 % without any adducts, offering a promising avenue for designing triple-atomic sites to producing C3 product from photosynthesis with water.

Dynamic Ag-mediated electron transfer confined ZnO nanorods for boosted photocatalytic bacterial disinfection

Infectious diseases, particularly bacterial infections, pose a global crisis with significant impacts on public health and economic stability due to the emergence of multi-drug resistance and limitations in existing therapeutic options. The present study focused on the development of photocatalytic disinfectant and silver-decorated hexagonal zinc oxide nanorods (Ag/ZnO NRs) were fabricated through an ultrasonic-assisted solvothermal method, and investigated for the photocatalytic inactivation on E. coli. The morphological, structural, and optical characteristics of the fabricated Ag/ZnO NRs were systematically studied through various analytical techniques. Here, 3%Ag/ZnO NRs showed 96.9% inactivation of E. coli within 120 min of visible light irradiation. The excellent inactivation efficiency of the photocatalyst could be attributed to the higher charge carrier mobility, efficient electron-hole pair separation, and highvisible light harvesting ability. The Schottky heterojunction was proposed as a possible mechanism for the photoinactivation of E. coli. Further, the impacts of different dosages of nanocomposites (NCs) and varying pH on bacterial inactivation were studied under visible light exposure. The reusability and stability of the NCs were investigatedfor 6 consecutive cycles of photoinactivation and it showed excellent efficiency (91.16%) of the photocatalyst for prolonged usage. The real-time application was assessed using reclaimed wastewaterand the influence on the organic matter was determined using COD analysis. The proposed study offers a significant point reference for the practical application of photocatalysis forthe inactivation of antibiotic-resistant microbes present in water bodies and environmental wastewater.