Modulation Of Charge Transfer Research Articles

Designed synthesized step-scheme heterojunction of Bi2WO6 nanosheet supported on CuBi2O4 nanorod with remarkable photo-assisted gas sensing for N-butyl alcohol

Photo-assisted gas sensors for n-butyl alcohol detection have attracted considerable attention due to their great potential in safety production and human health. However, the sensitivity, selectivity and stability should be further improved for practical application. Herein, Bi2WO6 nanosheet supported on CuBi2O4 nanorod sensor was realized by the two-step hydrothermal method, and it exhibited excellent sensitivity and stability for n-butyl alcohol detection under blue LED light illumination at the operating work temperature of 110 °C with gas concentration from 0.5 to 800 ppm. Meanwhile, the gas concentration of n-butyl alcohol obtained from the sensor was comparable to that of GC analysis. Furthermore, the sensor showed lower responses to other 25 kinds of common organic gases including alcohols, aldehydes, benzenes and ketones compared with that of n-butyl alcohol. More attractively, the Bi2WO6/CuBi2O4 sensor maintained its stable photo-assisted sensing activity over 3 months. The excellent gas-sensing property was caused by light illumination and formation of Bi2WO6/CuBi2O4 heterojunction, leading to abundant active electrons and superoxide radicals. The S-scheme mode of charge transfer at the Bi2WO6/CuBi2O4 heterojunction was revealed by the in-situ XPS and in-situ ESR analyses. The results gained herein may be useful for rational design of S-scheme heterojunction in photo-assisted gas sensor for n-butyl alcohol analysis.

Charge-Transfer Modulation on CdS Artificial Leaf for Efficient Hydrogen Generation

Charge-Transfer Modulation on CdS Artificial Leaf for Efficient Hydrogen Generation

Construction of In2O3@CN S-type heterojunctions with defect engineering for highly efficient photocatalytic degrade atrazine: Efficacy and mechanism evaluation

Developing exceptional photocatalysts with a high ability for photocarrier dissociation and photoredox reactions is crucial for effectively eliminate water pollutants, yet it remains a significant challenge. In this study, a S-type heterojunction with N defect, 2In2O3@CN, is constructed by incorporating In2O3 nanoparticles onto g-C3N4 nanosheet. The S-type charge transfer mode markedly promotes the space detachment of high-energy electron/hole and preservation on 2In2O3@CN, effectively suppressing the photocorrosion of In2O3. The optimized 2In2O3@CN heterojunction demonstrates superior performance. In visible light-driven photocatalytic degradation of atrazine, the efficiency reaches an impressive 81.5%. The pseudo-first-order kinetics are 12.7 times higher than those of pure CN, while maintaining excellent stability and reusability. Calculations and liquid mass measurements have revealed the primary active substances, intermediates, and photodegradation pathways in the photocatalytic process. This study not only offers a potential photocatalyst for safeguarding aquatic environments but also encourages the exploration of novel and potent CN-based S-type photocatalysts for environmental protection.

A double defects-dominated flexible TiO2 matrix for in-situ SERS sensing of antibiotic residues in aquatic ecosystem (fish & fishpond water) and their on-site degradation in flowing water

High-performance flexible semiconductor material can be used as an excellent multifunctional matrix for in-situ ultrasensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection and synchronous photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic residues in aquatic ecosystem. Here, a calcium-doped TiO2 flexible matrix with double defects (surface oxygen vacancy defect and Ti3+ energy level defect) was developed by its “in-situ one-step” hydrothermal synthesis on cotton fabric for the above purposes. Due to the joint contribution of double defects, a multi-channel charge transfer mode and a high-efficiency carrier separation are achieved, which endows flexible cotton fabric/Ca-doped TiO2 (Cot/Ca-TiO2) substrate with the greatly boosted SERS effect for in-situ detection of antibiotic residues on fish body surface and in fishpond water by a simple wiping or dipping sampling method, even for simultaneous identification of multi-component residues. The detection limits of three antibiotic residues (enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and enoxacin) are as low as 10−9 M, which are far lower than the EU standard. More meaningfully, the flexible Cot/Ca-TiO2 can be used as a multifunctional filter-membrane type photocatalyst for efficient on-site degradation of antibiotic residues in flowing fishpond water by a multi-grade photocatalysis means. Moreover, the flexible matrix exhibits good recyclability in both actual detection and photocatalysis.

Oxygen-defected WO3-OVs@Bi2MoO6 S-scheme micro flowers heterojunctions with promoted photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline

The synergy between surface oxygen vacancies (OVs) and heterojunction engineering holds promising potential for substantially enhancing photoelectric conversion efficiency through the optimization of photogenerated charge carrier transport. Herein, novel WO3-OVs@Bi2MoO6 S-scheme heterostructures are synthesized via a simple route for degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) using visible light. The S-scheme charge transfer mode markedly enhances the spatial separation and preservation of high-energy electrons/holes on Bi2MoO6 (reduction) and WO3-OVs (oxidation), consequently providing WO3-OVs@Bi2MoO6 photocatalysts with an improved redox capability. The optimal WO3-OVs@Bi2MoO6 heterojunction demonstrates enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline, exhibiting 4.86-fold and 4.17-fold higher efficiency compared to WO3-OVs and Bi2MoO6, respectively, with superior stability and reusability. Confirmation of the existence of the S-scheme charge transfer mechanism and oxygen vacancies (OVs) is achieved through a combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), substantiating the enhancement of charge separation and redox capability. Specifically, the presence of oxygen vacancies (OVs) on the surface of WO3 nanofibers results in a reduction of the band gap energy due to the defect levels, consequently promoting increased electron conduction. Furthermore, the abundance of oxygen vacancies (OVs) expands the photo response range and facilitates charge transfer at the interface. This research opens new avenues for the successful photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) by integrating hierarchical S-scheme heterojunction design and cutting-edge defect engineering in photocatalytic heterojunctions.

Ultrafast Charge Transfer and Recombination Dynamics in Monolayer-Multilayer WSe2 Junctions Revealed by Time-Resolved Photoemission Electron Microscopy.

The ultrafast carrier dynamics of junctions between two chemically identical, but electronically distinct, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) remains largely unknown. Here, we employ time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy (TR-PEEM) to probe the ultrafast carrier dynamics of a monolayer-to-multilayer (1L-ML) WSe2 junction. The TR-PEEM signals recorded for the individual components of the junction reveal the sub-ps carrier cooling dynamics of 1L- and 7L-WSe2, as well as few-ps exciton-exciton annihilation occurring on 1L-WSe2. We observe ultrafast interfacial hole (h) transfer from 1L- to 7L-WSe2 on an ∼0.2 ps time scale. The resultant excess h density in 7L-WSe2 decays by carrier recombination across the junction interface on an ∼100 ps time scale. Reminiscent of the behavior at a depletion region, the TR-PEEM image reveals the h density accumulation on the 7L-WSe2 interface, with a decay length ∼0.60 ± 0.17 μm. These charge transfer and recombination dynamics are in agreement with ab initio quantum dynamics. The computed orbital densities reveal that charge transfer occurs from the basal plane, which extends over both 1L and ML regions, to the upper plane localized on the ML region. This mode of charge transfer is distinctive to chemically homogeneous junctions of layered materials and constitutes an additional carrier deactivation pathway that should be considered in studies of 1L-TMDs found alongside their ML, a common occurrence in exfoliated samples.

Stacking engineering induced Z-scheme MoSSe/WSSe heterostructure for photocatalytic water splitting.

Stacking engineering is a popular method to tune the performance of two-dimensional materials for advanced applications. In this work, Jansu MoSSe and WSSe monolayers are constructed as a van der Waals (vdWs) heterostructure by different stacking configurations. Using first-principle calculations, all the relaxed stacking configurations of the MoSSe/WSSe heterostructure present semiconductor properties while the direct type-II band structure can be obtained. Importantly, the Z-scheme charge transfer mode also can be addressed by band alignment, which shows the MoSSe/WSSe heterostructure is an efficient potential photocatalyst for water splitting. In addition, the built-in electric field of the MoSSe/WSSe vdWs heterostructure can be enhanced by the S-Se interface due to further asymmetric structures, which also results in considerable charge transfer comparing with the MoSSe/WSSe vdWs heterostructure built by the S-S interface. Furthermore, the excellent optical performances of the MoSSe/WSSe heterostructure with different stacking configurations are obtained. Our results provide a theoretical guidance for the design and control of the two-dimensional heterostructure as photocatalysts through structural stacking.

Integration of rod-shaped PCN-224(Cu) and BiVO4 to establish S‑scheme heterojunction for effective photocatalytic CO2-to-CO transformation

The search for effective and highly selective photocatalysts for CO2 transformation is exceptionally desirable yet challenging. Herein, a novel BiVO4@PCN-224(Cu) heterostructure was constructed by growing BiVO4 nanosheets on the surface of PCN-224(Cu) rods for visible-light-driven CO2 photoreduction. The obtained BiVO4@PCN-224(Cu) heterostructure could selectively reduce CO2 into CO in the absence of sacrificial reagents. The CO yield over the optimized sample reached 70.5 μmol g-1 h-1 (corresponding to an apparent quantum yield of 0.42% at 450nm), a 5.1-fold increase over pristine PCN-224(Cu). The boosted activity of the hybrid could be credited to the S-scheme heterojunction formed at the interface of PCN-224(Cu) and BiVO4, which facilitated the separation of photogenerated charges and ameliorated the redox capability. In-situ XPS and hydroxyl radical determination confirmed the S-scheme charge transfer mode. This study provides a new strategy for constructing S-scheme heterojunctions involving metalloporphyrin-based metal-organic frameworks for high-performance CO2 conversion.

Mesoporous TiO2 matrix embeded with Cs2CuBr4 perovskite quantum dots as a step-scheme-based photocatalyst for boosting charge separation and CO2 photoconversion

Halide perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have shown great promise for the photochemical conversion of CO2. However, the fast carrier recombination rates and inadequate adsorption/activation for CO2 molecules have seriously restricted their practical application. Herein, an innovative step-scheme-based Cs2CuBr4/TiO2 (CCB/TiO2) photocatalyst was prepared by embedding Cs2CuBr4 PQDs in a mesoporous TiO2 matrix, which exhibits considerable potential as candidates for CO2 photoreduction under simulated sunlight. Remarkably, the optimised CCB/TiO2 photocatalyst delivered an impressive CO2 reduction activity, which was 3.1 and 16.0 times higher than those achieved by pure Cs2CuBr4 and TiO2, respectively. Furthermore, the S-scheme charge transfer mode was comprehensively corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, photo-assisted Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), in situ irradiated X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR). On basis of theoretical calculations and in situ diffuse reflectance spectra (DRIFTS), the CCB/TiO2 exhibited a reduced energy barrier of the rate-determining step, which facilitated the CO2 photoreduction reaction.

Controllable construction of direct Z-scheme Mo2C-CdxZn1−xIn2S4 heterojunction via defect-mediated modulation for enhanced visible-light photocatalysis

Direct Z-scheme semiconductor heterostructures possess fascinating merits for solar photocatalysis, including increased light harvesting, spatially isolated photogenerated charge carriers, and well-preserved strong redox capability. However, steering Z-scheme charge transfer of semiconductor heterojunction in a controllable manner is still a challenging task. In this work, unique direct Z-scheme Mo2C-CdxZn1−xIn2S4 heterojunction is constructed via a defect-mediated modulating strategy, where Cd-doping switches the charge transfer mode of Mo2C-CdxZn1−xIn2S4 heterojunction from type-I to Z-scheme through increasing S vacancies, up-shifting conduction band level, and narrowing bandgap of CdxZn1−xIn2S4 component. Moreover, the defect-induced Mo-S bond affords fast channels for built-in electric field-induced Z-scheme photo-electrons transporting from Mo2C conduction band to CdxZn1−xIn2S4 valence band, supporting by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface photovoltage spectroscopy, and radical testing results. Noticeably, under irradiation of visible light (λ > 400 nm), Mo2C-CdxZn1−xIn2S4 Z-scheme heterojunction displays an excellent and stable photocatalytic H2-evolving activity, reaching an outstanding H2 generation rate of 28.12 mmol·g−1·h−1 with the corresponding high apparent quantum efficiency of 21.1% at 400 nm, far surpassing that of Pt-loaded C0.25ZIS and most documented ZnIn2S4-containing photocatalysts. The present work could inspire the crafty design of efficient Z-scheme photocatalysts through defect-mediated heterostructure construction and energy band engineering.

Construction of a novel double S-scheme heterojunction CeO2/g-C3N4/Bi2O4 for significantly boosted degradation of tetracycline: Insight into the dual charge transfer mode

Constructing dual S-scheme heterojunction, as one kind of new strategy for the reinforcement of photocatalytic property, shows significant advantages in facilitating the migration of photoinduced charges and achieving high redox potentials. Herein, a novel double S-scheme heterojunction CeO2/g-C3N4/Bi2O4 was designed and synthesized successfully. The photodegradation of tetracycline (TC) over CeO2/g-C3N4/Bi2O4 was carried out under the irradiation of visible light. The double S-scheme interfacial charge transmission mode of CeO2/g-C3N4/Bi2O4 was investigated according to Fermi level, band structure, and the in-depth analysis of in situ irradiated X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ISI-XPS) and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra. The CeO2/g-C3N4/Bi2O4 exhibits excellent catalytic activity with a high TC removal efficiency of 94 % and a remarkable mineralization efficiency of 51 %. The rate constant (0.05811 min−1) of TC degradation for CeO2/g-C3N4/Bi2O4 is 12.9, 7.8, 4.3, 2.2, and 3.1 times those for g-C3N4, CeO2, Bi2O4, g-C3N4/Bi2O4 and CeO2/g-C3N4, separately. The prominently boosted activity may be due to two factors. Firstly, the successful creation of the double S-scheme electron migration channel greatly boosts the transmission of photogenerated carriers, represses the recombination of electrons with holes, and ensures the strongest redox potential of CeO2/g-C3N4/Bi2O4. Secondly, the introduction of Bi2O4 with excellent visible-light absorption broadens the optical absorption region of CeO2/g-C3N4/Bi2O4. Additionally, the influence of the typical environmental factors (pH, inorganic anions, cations, and natural humus) on the photodegradation of TC was explored. The three probable pathways for TC degradation were inferred via analyzing intermediates. The current work offers a novel outlook for enhancing the activity of ternary heterojunction photocatalysts applied in environmental restoration.

Mechanism of CO and acetone adsorption on ZnO and Pt-doped ZnO surfaces for gas sensing applications: A DFT investigation

Spin-polarized density functional theory (DFT) is employed to explain the role of oxygen vacancy, pre-adsorbed oxygen ion, and Pt dopant in CO and acetone sensing of ZnO (0001) surface. Adsorption configurations and electronic properties of ZnO and Pt-doped ZnO surfaces are reported. The results show that good adsorption energy is not alone enough to judge the sensitivity of gas sensors, and one has to consider all charge transfer modes. Charge density difference plots reveal that there is a charge transfer mode for moving electrons from acetone to pre-adsorbed oxygen ion which means that the the direct adsorption of acetone may have a chance to participate in gas sensing also.

Regulating Oxygen Vacancies and Fermi Level of Mesoporous CeO2-x for Intensified Built-In Electric Field and Boosted Charge Separation of Cs3 Bi2 Br9 /CeO2-x S-Scheme Heterojunction.

Regulating the built-in electric field (BEF) in the heterojunction is is a great challenge in developing high-efficiency photocatalysts. Herein, by tailoring the content of oxygen vacancies in the constituent reduction semiconductor (mesoporous CeO2-x ), a precise Fermi level (EF ) regulation of CeO2-x is realized, yielding an amplified EF gap and intensified BEF in the Cs3 Bi2 Br9 perovskite quantum dots/CeO2-x S-scheme heterojunction. Such an enhanced BEF offers a strong driving force for directional electron transfer, boosting charge separation in the S-scheme heterojunction. As a result, the optimized Cs3 Bi2 Br9 /CeO2-x heterojunction delivers a remarkable CO2 conversion efficiency, with an impressive CO production rate of 80.26µmolg-1 h-1 and a high selectivity of 97.6%. The S-scheme charge transfer mode is corroborated comprehensively by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, insitu X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and photo-irradiated Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Moreover, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectra (DRIFTS) and theoretical calculations are conducted cooperatively to reveal the CO2 photoreduction pathway.

Blocking Accretion Enables Dimension Reduction of Metal-Organic Framework for Photocatalytic Performance.

The evolution and formation process of two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) primarily arise from the anisotropic growth of crystals, leading to variations in photocatalytic performance. It is crucial to achieve a synergistic combination of anisotropic electron transfer direction and dimension reduction strategies. In this study, a novel approach that effectively blocks crystal growth accretion through the coordination of solvent molecules is presented, achieving the successful synthesis of impurity-free two-dimensional nanosheet Zn-PTC with exceptional hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance (15.4mmolg-1 h-1 ). The structural and photophysical characterizations validate the successful prevention of crystal accretion, while establishing correlation between structural anisotropy and intrinsic charge transfer mode through transient spectroscopy. These findings unequivocally demonstrate that electron transfer along the [001] direction plays a pivotal role in the redox performance of nano-Zn-PTC. Subsequently, by coupling the photocatalytic performance and density functional theory (DFT) simulation calculations, the carrier diffusion kinetics is explored, revealing that effective dimension reduction along the ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) direction is the key to achieving superior photocatalytic performance.

In-situ detection technique for charge transfer behavior of direct Z-scheme BiVO4/UiO-66-NH2 composites during photocatalytic thioanisole conversion

The photocatalytic efficiency can be enhanced by constructing Z-scheme heterostructures. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive and direct evidence regarding the charge transfer pathway and mode during the photocatalytic process. A composite photocatalyst BiVO4/UiO-66-NH2 (BVO/U6N) was prepared by in-situ loading BiVO4 nanoparticles onto the surface of UiO-66-NH2 using a hydrothermal method. This catalyst effectively promotes the photocatalytic conversion of thioanisole to sulfoxide. The differences between BiVO4 and UiO-66-NH2 in band structure and Fermi energy level enable the composite to act according to the Z-scheme charge transfer pattern, which significantly enhances charge separation efficiency. In-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (in-situ XPS) combined with DFT calculation confirmed the transfer of electrons from UiO-66-NH2 to BiVO4, driven by an internal electric field (IEF) upon hybridization. This demonstrates the formation of a Z-scheme photogenerated charge transfer pathway in the BVO/U6N composite. The direct Z-scheme system significantly enhances the carrier redox, resulting in a sulfoxide yield of 95.21% for the optimized sample in methanol, which is 5 times and 4.1 times higher than that of UiO-66-NH2 and BiVO4, respectively. BVO/U6N exhibits efficient photocatalysis and selectivity towards various substrate sulfides, making it a highly promising heterogeneous photocatalyst.

Synergistically Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation by Coupling Slow-Photon Effect with Z-Scheme Charge Transfer in CdS QDs/IO-TiO2 Heterojunction.

Lower light absorption and faster carrier recombination are significant challenges in photocatalysis. This study introduces a novel approach to address these challenges by anchoring cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QDs) on inverse opal (IO)-TiO2, which increases light absorption and promotes carriers' separation by coupling slow-photon effect with Z-scheme charge transfer. Specifically, the IO-TiO2 was created by etching a polystyrene opal template, which resulted in a periodic structure that enhances light absorption by reflecting light in the stop band. The size of CdS quantum dots (QDs) was regulated to achieve appropriate alignment of energy bands between CdS QDs and IO-TiO2, promoting carrier transfer through alterations in charge transfer modes and resulting in synergistic-amplified photocatalysis. Theoretical simulations and electrochemical investigations demonstrated the coexistence of slow-photon effects and Z-scheme transfer. The system's photodegradation performance was tested using rhodamine B as a model. This novel hierarchical structure of the Z-scheme heterojunction exhibits degradability 7.82 and 4.34 times greater than pristine CdS QDs and IO-TiO2, respectively. This study serves as a source of inspiration for enhancing the photocatalytic capabilities of IO-TiO2 and broadening its scope of potential applications.

Interface regulation of ZnIn2S4/g-C3N4 S-scheme heterojunction for revealing exciton transfer mechanism and enhancing photocatalytic performance

The synergistic interaction between materials with specific dimensional nanostructures can establish high-speed transport channels for the internal and interfacial carriers of materials, which is important for promoting effective spatial separation of photogenerated carriers and improving photocatalytic performance. We fabricated ZnIn2S4 nanoparticles (GZIS) loaded with specific sizes on the surface of g-C3N4 ultrathin nanoplates (CNNs) using the calcined hydrothermal method to fabricate ZnIn2S4/g-C3N4 S-scheme heterojunctions. The activity of hydrogen evolution and degradation of Light Green SF (Yellowish) dyes was evaluated under visible light irradiation. The results showed that the hydrogen production rate of the photocatalyst GZIS–CN–0.8 was 7.431 mmol g−1 h−1, which was about 5.26 times that of pure ZnIn2S4 and 238 times that of g-C3N4 nanosheets. The degradation rate of GZIS–CN–0.8 for Light Green SF (Yellowish) dyes reached 90.2% within 120 min, which was much higher than that of pure ZnIn2S4 and g-C3N4 nanosheets. In addition, the charge transfer mode between the two materials interfaces is comprehensively investigated by density functional theory study and spectral analysis. The results show that the effective separation of interfacial charges in the heterojunction is a key factor to improve the photocatalytic performance. This work can provide a reference for the synthesis and interface design of efficient S-scheme photocatalysts.

Rational Design and Construction of Graphdiyne (CnH2n-2) Based NiMoO4/GDY/CuO in Situ XPS Proved Double S-Scheme Heterojunctions for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

As a new two-dimensional (2D) carbon hybrid material, graphdiyne has attracted much attention due to its good conductivity, adjustable electronic structure, and special electron transfer enhancement properties. In this work, graphdiyne/CuO and NiMoO4/GDY/CuO composite catalysts were prepared by cross coupling method and high temperature annealing method. The CuI introduced by clever design not only acts as a catalytic coupling but also as a precursor of CuO. The CuO produced by the postprocessing improves the inefficient charge separation of graphdiyne and provides a good acceptor for the consumption of unwanted holes. The good conductivity and strong reduction ability of graphdiyne play key roles in the performance improvement of the composite catalyst. Under the dual evidence of XPS and in situ XPS, the charge transfer mode of double S-scheme heterojunction with graphdiyne as the active site of hydrogen evolution is constructed reasonably, which not only gives full play to the performance advantages of graphdiyne but also effectively improves the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers. In this study, a clean and efficient multicomponent system was constructed by graphdiyne, which opened up a broad application prospect in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen production.

Adenine adsorption on Hf-doped graphene: A density functional theory investigation

We have used density functional theory to study how adenine molecules interact with the electrical structure of both pristine graphene (Gr) and hafnium doped graphene (GR-Hf). According to several measures, graphene doped with hafnium has favourable characteristics for use as an adsorbent for Adenine in biosensors. These include the adsorption energy, charge transfer mode, dipole moment, HOMO-LUMO energy, energy gap, and density of states (DOS).

Ammonium phosphotungstate nanoparticle/ultrathin g-C3N4 composite photocatalysts with Z-scheme heterojunctions: preparation and application to organic contaminant degradation

Owing to their advantageous physical, chemical, electronic, and optical properties, two-dimensional (2D) materials are widely used as highly active visible-light photocatalysts. In this study, 3D/2D composite photocatalysts were prepared from ammonium phosphotungstate nanoparticles and 2D ultrathin graphitic carbon nitride by an impregnation method and were found to efficiently promote the photodegradation of rhodamine B and tetracycline in water under visible light irradiation. Photocatalytic degradation was maximum at a PW12NH4 loading of 20 wt% (UCN20), with photodegradation efficiencies of 93.40% and 69.6% for RhB and TC, respectively. The photocatalytic degradation rate using UCN20 was 5.8-fold higher for RhB and 2.2-fold higher for TC compared to those with UCN. This high performance is ascribed to the large specific surface areas and pore volumes of the composites and the reduced probability of photogenerated carrier recombination therein. The related degradation mechanism is believed to involve a Z-scheme charge transfer mode, which enhances the redox capability of composite photocatalysts and renders them suitable for the visible light-driven remediation of wastewater containing organic contaminants.