Photocatalytic Catalyst Research Articles

Unlocking interfacial effects in NiTiO3-TiO2 eutectic composite: Enhancing overall electrocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting

This study introduces a novel approach to tackle the urgent demand for catalysts possessing both bifunctional capabilities and efficient photocatalytic properties. By employing the micro-pulling down method, a NiTiO3/TiO2 eutectic composite is synthesized, creating an interface rich structure. This composite is utilized as a photo-anode, displaying a significant photocurrent of 3.5 mA/cm2 at 1.4 V. Through annealing in an H2 atmosphere, the catalytic performance is finely adjusted, revealing distinct electrochemical activities at the interface of NiTiO3 and TiO2. Enhanced interfacial adsorption is confirmed by scanning electrochemical microscopy post-annealing. Remarkably, the annealed NiTiO3/TiO2 exhibits outstanding overall water-splitting efficiency, with minimal overpotentials of 80 mV (at 10 mA/cm2) and 120 mV (at 50 mA/cm2) for the HER and OER, respectively. The low Tafel slope (41 mV dec-1) underscores rapid water splitting kinetics. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that NiTiO3-TiO2 heterostructure can enhanced the catalytic properties of the surface providing higher adsorption of the electrolyte ions during catalytic reactions. This study establishes a straightforward crystal growth strategy for the design of highly effective, enduring, and bifunctional photocatalytic catalysts, signaling promising advancements in water splitting technology.

Preparation and Photodegradation of TiO2 Thin Films on the Inner Wall of Quartz Tubes.

Titanium dioxide thin films on the inner wall of quartz tubes were prepared in situ by the sol-gel method. Meanwhile, copper and cerium were loaded onto the surface of the titanium dioxide thin films to enhance photocatalytic activity and broaden the range of light absorption. X-ray diffractometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrum, N2 gas adsorption, UV diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, photoluminescene spectroscopy, and so on were used to characterize the structure, morphology, chemical composition, and optical properties of the prepared photocatalyst. Methylene blue (MB) was used as a simulated organic pollutant to study the photocatalytic performance of the photocatalyst, which was a translucent, structurally stable, and reusable high-efficiency photocatalytic catalyst. Under UV lamp irradiation, the MB photodegradation efficiency was 94.5%, which reached 91.2% after multiple cycles.

Two-Dimensional Janus XY (X/Y=P, As, Sb, Bi, X≠Y) material with excellent piezoelectricity and carrier mobility for Visible-Light water splitting

Janus materials, with unique physical and chemical properties, show promise in turning solar energy into clean hydrogen through photocatalytic water splitting. Herein, utilizing first-principles calculations, we have confirmed the stabilities of newly discovered two-dimensional XY materials (X/Y=P, As, Sb, Bi, X≠Y), unveiling their promising capabilities in photocatalytic water splitting. These Janus structures exhibit broad bandgaps, paired with remarkable electron carrier mobilities. Their out-of-plane piezoelectric coefficients (d31) varying from 0.10 pm/V to 0.31 pm/V, surpass those of many typical two-dimensional materials, highlighting their considerable potential in energy conversion applications. These materials stand out in water splitting due to their favorable band edges and electrostatic potential gradients, achieving solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiencies above 20 % and visible light absorption efficiencies over 10 %. Remarkably, Janus PBi showcases STH and visible light absorption efficiencies up to 29.01 % and 19.33 %, respectively. By using biaxial strain, Janus PAs and PSb can reach a peak STH efficiency of over 30 % and a top visible light absorption efficiency above 20 %. Janus AsSb (PBi) exhibits exceptionally high photocatalytic activity for the oxygen (hydrogen) evolution reaction. These attributes suggest that these Janus XY materials are promising contenders as photocatalytic catalysts for water-splitting applications.

Study of photocatalytic degradation of dyeing wastewater with CdS nanoparticles anchored on cotton short staple-based carbon aerogels

The photocatalytic technology is widely recognized as an effective solution for both the energy crisis and environmental issues. Developing cost-effective alternatives to noble metal-based photocatalytic catalysts is crucial for the degradation of organic pollutants in dye wastewater; however, it remains a challenging task. In this study, a novel approach was presented, wherein a cotton-based carbon aerogel was synthesized using short staple cotton cellulose as the raw material. CdS nanoparticles were then anchored onto the three-dimensional porous structure of the carbon aerogel. The resulting materials were thoroughly characterized and analyzed using various techniques, including XRD, SEM, Mapping, XPS, BET, and UV-Vis spectroscopy, and their performance was extensively assessed. Experimental results indicated that the degradation efficiency of 20 ml (15 mg/L) methylene blue solution reached 95.7 % within 90 min, achieving near-complete degradation within 120 min using 10 mg catalyst material. Furthermore, photocatalytic degradation experiments were conducted on commonly used reactive red dye (K-type) and reactive yellow dye (M-type) that are typically employed in textile dyeing and finishing processes. For 20 ml of waste liquid, after 90 min, the degradation rates of the reactive red and yellow dyes reached 91.4 % and 94.4 %, respectively, with complete degradation achieved within 120 min. Free radical quenching experiments demonstrated that hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and superoxide radicals (•O2-) played a central role in mediating the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants using the CdS/carbon aerogel (CdS/CA) composite material. Overall, the research findings suggest that the CdS/CA composite material exhibited highly desirable attributes, effectively adsorbing and photodegrading methylene blue as well as organic dyes in dye wastewater. These results provide valuable insights for the development of cost-effective photocatalytic materials and the efficient degradation of dyes.

Efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution in novel type-II SnS2/Al2S2 van der Waals heterostructures

With the exacerbation of environmental pollution and the energy crisis, the development and design of environmentally friendly and efficient photocatalytic catalysts for water splitting with visible light have become particularly imperative. This study delves into the detailed investigation of the novel type-II van der Waals heterostructure of SnS2/Al2S2 utilizing first-principles calculation methods. By leveraging the advantages of indirect type-II band alignment and high carrier mobility, the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs is achieved, thereby facilitating enhanced participation of electrons and holes in photocatalytic reactions. Furthermore, the heterostructure manifests a peak optical absorption coefficient value of approximately 5.34×104 cm−1 in the visible light spectrum, accompanied by the occurrence of red-shifting, which fosters efficient absorption of visible light. It is noteworthy that under conditions of pH = 0–3.7, the heterojunction surpasses the redox potential of water splitting, concurrently displaying a substantial hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and a high efficiency of converting sunlight to hydrogen (22.31 %). These results underscore the promising potential of the SnS2/Al2S2 heterostructure as a photocatalyst for water splitting, offering crucial theoretical support and practical guidance for the further advancement of hydrogen production via water splitting technology.

A novel two-dimensional GaN/InGaN heterostructure for photocatalytic water splitting: A first-principles calculation

The pursuit of optimal bandgap and band edge positions is crucial for effective photocatalytic catalysts, leading to significant attentions in both experimental and theoretical research on modulating the band structure of semiconductor photocatalysts. In this study, the electronic, optical and photocatalytic properties of 2D monolayer GaN and GaN/InGaN heterostructures are investigated using DFT calculations. It reveals that introducing strain is an effective approach to not only alter the band gap type from indirect to direct but also influence the magnitude of the band gap. At a 10% tensile strain, a Z-type heterostructure is formed for the 2D GaN/InGaN heterostructures, which proves favorable for enhancing the efficiency of photocatalytic water splitting. However, it is worth noting that the band gap type remains indirect, necessitating additional energy for electron transitions. On the other hand, when increasing the compressive strain from − 2.5% to − 5%, the 2D GaN/InGaN heterostructure transforms from type I to type II, exhibiting direct band gaps with an enhanced light absorption range. This results in a significant redshift and increased optical absorption intensity within the visible light range, leading to a substantial enhancement in photocatalytic efficiency. Consequently, our findings demonstrate that the 2D GaN/InGaN heterostructure holds promising potential as a candidate material for efficient photocatalytic water splitting applications.

Fe-MMT/WO3 composites for chemical and photocatalysis synergistic reduction of uranium (VI).

The preparation of Fe-MMT/WO3 composites by the hydrothermal method has been explored in this study for the construction of a chemical and photocatalytic catalyst for the reduction of U (VI). This research found that the visible light absorption and reduction potential of the Fe-MMT/WO3 composites were relatively superior compared to Fe-MMT and WO3 alone. Based on an evaluation of the performance of the Fe-MMT/WO3 composites under visible light irradiation, it was discovered that they had greater uranium extraction capacity, where the maximum extraction capacity of U (VI) was determined to be 1862.69 mg g−1, with removal efficiency reaching 93.32%. To investigate the electron transfer and U (VI) to U (IV) reduction mechanisms after the composite, XPS and DFT calculations were conducted. Results showed that Fe (II) is converted to a higher state Fe (III) and WO3 produce photoelectrons which together reduce U (VI) to U (IV). Moreover, the photoelectrons partially transferred to Fe-MMT with low reduction potential to reduce Fe (III) to Fe (II), allowing iron cycling during uranium extraction to be achieved.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO, ZnO doped Ag2O nanoparticles and its photocatalytic activity

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has a variety of characteristics, including optical, electrical, mechanical, thermal, and structural. Nanoparticles (NPs)play a big part in many different industries. The current research focuses on producing ZnO Nps for photocatalytic dye degradation activities. Ag2O-doped ZnO was produced together with three other different types of ZnO NPs. Nps as well as pure ZnO nanocrystals, were recovered using chemical and biological methods. The SEM study supported the chemical evolution of the ZnO nanorod-like structure, which exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity. It was predicted that chemically produced ZnO Nps would have 34 nm, the typical particle size. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to identify Ag2O/ZnO nanoparticles in their hexagonal configuration. The particle size ranged from 16 to 17 nm, which was shown to be the norm. The findings of the SEM study further demonstrate that the created Ag2O doped ZnO Nps agglomerated into hexagonal forms, stuck together as bulks and rods, and grew in size in proportion to the Ag nanofluids. We conclude that hexagonal and rod-shaped Ag2O/ZnO Nps aggregates work well as photocatalytic catalysts. Approximately 25 mL of ZnO-doped Ag2O nanofluid is a powerful photocatalyst for oxidizing organic dyes and is suitable for large-scale applications

Two-dimensional MoSe2/PtSe2 van der Waals type-II heterostructure: Promising visible light photocatalyst for overall water splitting

The development of simple and efficient visible light photocatalytic catalysts for hydrogen production from water is an important development direction in the field of photocatalysis, and composite two-dimensional materials are found to be promising candidates. This paper constructs a novel two-dimensional MoSe2/PtSe2 type-II heterojunction and systematically studies its geometric structure, electronic structure, and optical properties by first-principles calculation. It is evident that the heterojunction has good thermodynamic, kinetic, and mechanical stability, as well as excellent hole carrier mobility, which is conducive to the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. The optical properties show that MoSe2/PtSe2 heterojunction has the best optical absorption efficiency for visible light and has the ability to cross the water-cracking oxidation-reduction potential at pH = 4. More importantly, the MoSe2/PtSe2 heterojunction shows great hydrogen absorption reaction performance, indicating that it is a potential photocatalyst for overall water splitting of visible light, and has broad application prospects in the field of photocatalysis and optoelectronics.

The performance and mechanism of persulfate activation boosted MoO2@LDHs Z-scheme heterojunction for efficient photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline

Photocatalytic activation of persulfate for the synergistic degradation of pollutants has become a major research hotspot, but the activation effect is poor due to the problems of low catalyst carrier separation efficiency and insufficient active sites. In this study, direct Z-Scheme heterojunctions of MoO2@CoFe LDHs were prepared by a simple hydrothermal method and a Co and Fe dual active site system was constructed to activate Na2S2O8 (PS) for the synergistic degradation of tetracycline under visible light. The results showed that the synergistic degradation of tetracycline was 3.7 times and 2.7 times more efficient than the original heterojunction and PS, respectively. Combining material characterisation, photovoltaic performance tests and theoretical calculations revealed that the high efficiency is attributed to the formation of an internal electric field under the Z-Scheme heterostructure type generating effective electron-hole separation, with more photo-generated electrons converted into radicals acting together with holes to degrade the TC and activate the PS. More importantly, Co(II) and Fe(II) provide electrons to synergistically activate PS, and a portion of the photogenerated electrons and PS activation intermediates can facilitate cycling between Co(II)/Co(III) and Fe(II)/Fe(III) to accelerate PS activation. This paper's work on activating PS-assisted Z-Scheme heterojunctions for the efficient degradation of TC provides a reference for the study of high-performance photocatalytic catalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants.

Recent Progress in the Use of SnO2 Quantum Dots: From Synthesis to Photocatalytic Applications

This review article provides current developments in SnO2 quantum dots (QDs) as effective catalysts over the last five years. SnO2 QDs are exceptional prospects for catalytic applications because of their high surface area, compact size, and tunable optical features. SnO2 QDs have recently made strides in their production and functionalization, which has enabled successful use of them as photocatalytic catalysts. The basic concepts of SnO2 QDs, including their electrical and optical characteristics, are described in this review paper, along with the most current findings on their production and functionalization. Additionally, it covers the fundamental mechanisms that support SnO2 QDs’ catalytic activity and emphasizes the difficulties involved in using them as catalysts. Lastly, it offers a forecast for the direction of research in this quickly evolving topic. Overall, our analysis demonstrates SnO2 QDs’ potential as a successful and cutting-edge catalytic system in recent years.

Porous single crystalline-like titanium dioxide monolith with enhanced photoelectrochemical performance

Macro-sized porous single crystalline-like (PSC-like) TiO2 is endowed with unique structural advantages due to its structural consistency and porosity in a large area, which would significantly enhance its photoelectrochemical function. However, there are significant technical challenges in the growth of porous single crystalline-like monoliths. The consistency of structure dominates the structure so that the grain boundary is reduced to the minimum, which is in contradiction with the three-dimensional percolation structure. Here we report a lattice reconstruction strategy based on solid-solid transformation to grow porous single crystal-like anatase TiO2 dominated by (200) and (101) facets at 2 cm scale. In comparison with the traditional definition of porous single crystal, it has two different lattice orientations, but still has good photoelectrochemical properties. The band gap engineering introduces Ti3+ gap into the lattice to generate TinO2n−1 with Magneli phase, limiting the created active structure to the lattice with two-dimensional surface, which would open a new avenue to create highly active surfaces to capture photons and transport electrons stably. The PSC-like TinO2n−1 provides enhanced exciton lifetime (3–5 ns) as a photocatalytic catalyst and shows significant visible light absorption. The independent PSC-like TinO2n−1 delivers high photocurrent of 1.8–5.5 mA · cm−2 at room temperature and does not decay for 10 h.

Rationally construct of CoSx/MoS2/g-C3N4 double heterojunction with promoting the separation of carriers for enhanced photocatalysis

g-C3N4 (CN) has attracted extensive attention in photocatalysis field, but its weak visible light absorption and rapid charge recombination limit its application. In this, MoS2 and CoSx (ZIF67 derivatives) as cocatalyst grew on the surface of semiconductor CN in situ to construct CoSx/MoS2/CN double heterojunction. Then the activities of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and degradation MB were researched. The hydrogen production rate of 5%CoSx/MoS2/CN-2 photocatalyst is 9800 μmol h−1 g−1 and is about 6.5 times as great as CN, 46 times than MoS2 and 98 times than CoSx, respectively. Under natural sunlight and simulated sunlight, the degradation efficiency of MB is 99.95% and 99.50% after 4 h, respectively. Catalyst characterizations have pointed out that CoSx/MoS2/CN catalyst has abundant active sites and larger specific surface area, which increase absorption of water and oxygen. At the same time, internal electric field and S vacancy enhance electrons transfer rate, which effectively inhibit the recombination of e−-h+. This work provides a new idea into the creation of steady, high-efficiency and continuable photocatalytic catalyst for visible light.

In-situ sulfidation to fabricate NiSx modified g-C3N4/NiO composite for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production under visible-light

Graphitic carbon nitride is a very potential photocatalytic catalyst for H2 production, but its practical application is seriously limited by the fast recombination of photogenerated carriers and insufficient utilization of surface charge. In order to solve these problems, herein, a series of g-C3N4-NiO-NiSx photocatalysts were synthesized by first calcining the precursor to load NiO on g-C3N4 and subsequently partial sulfidation of NiO into NiSx in situ via a hydrothermal process. Under the irradiation of visible light, the photocatalytic H2 production rate of g-C3N4-NiO-0.4T can be up to 1248.1 μmol·g−1·h−1 using triethanolamine as sacrificial agent. In addition, recycling test also confirmed g-C3N4-NiO-0.4T has excellent photostability. It is believed that the formation of p-n junction between NiO and g-C3N4 and the presence of NiSx promote the spatially fast separation of photogenerated carriers, while the abundant interface of NiS2 and NiS also leads to the good proton trapping ability. These two factors jointly determine the efficient H2 production of the composite photocatalysts. Furthermore, the detailed energy band structure and plausible photocatalytic mechanism of g-C3N4-NiO-NiSx are also proposed. This work can offer a new route and useful reference for the design and research of high efficiency composite photocatalysts for H2 production.

Enhancing the Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2/Na2Ti6O13 Composites by Gold for the Photodegradation of Phenol

This study aims to synthesize Au/TiO2/Na2Ti6O13 composites to reduce the occurrence of recombination and increase photocatalytic activity in phenol degradation. Gold was used due to its high stability and strong surface plasmon resonance (SPR) properties which make it operate effectively in the visible light spectrum. The prepared composites were characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR, and DRS. The results showed that the composite consisted of rutile TiO2 with a crystal size of 38–40 nm and Na2Ti6O13 with a crystal size of 25 nm. The gold in the composite has a crystallite size of 16–19 nm along with the percentage of gold added. Morphological analysis shows that the composite has the form of inhomogeneous spherical particles with gold spread among composites with sizes less than 20 nm. FTIR analysis showed the presence of Na–O and Ti–O–Ti bonds in the composite. The best composite was 3% Au/TiO2/Na2Ti6O13 which had high crystallinity, small particle size, and bandgap energy of 2.59 eV. Furthermore, it had an efficiency 205% better than without gold. After that, cost estimation is proposed as a large-scale application. This study describes the total cost, break-even analysis, and payback analysis for the commercialization needs of the designed photocatalytic catalyst.

One-Dimensional CdS/SrTiO3/Carbon Fiber Core–Shell Photocatalysts for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

The photocatalytic hydrogen production efficiency of a single SrTiO3 photocatalytic catalyst is often low, which is mainly due to the serious combination of electrons and holes produced by photocatalysis as well as the mismatch of the redox capacity and light absorption range. Construction of semiconductor heterojunctions can solve these problems. CdS has a narrow band gap, which can effectively utilize visible light, and it has a band structure matched with that of SrTiO3. Therefore, CdS is considered as an ideal candidate for constructing heterojunctions with SrTiO3. In this paper, bamboo pulp fibers were used as the substrate, and SrTiO3 was coated on the substrate through the solvothermal process. CF/SrTiO3 rich in oxygen vacancies was formed by high temperature carbonization, and heterojunctions were formed by loading CdS on the surface of the CF/SrTiO3 composite material through the hydrothermal method, thus obtaining one-dimensional CF/SrTiO3/CdS core–shell photocatalysts. The structure and photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of the CF/SrTiO3/CdS core–shell photocatalysts were mainly studied. The photocatalytic hydrogen production experiment showed that the hydrogen production rate of the CF/SrTiO3/CdS-2 sample under the optimized process was as high as 577.39 μmol/g·h, which was about 11 times that of the CF/SrTiO3 sample. In this composite photocatalytic material system, the loading of the CdS nanospheres could enhance the visible light absorption capacity of the composite catalyst, promote the rapid separation and high-speed migration of photocarriers, and significantly improve the photocatalytic activity.

Preparation of a novel photocatalytic catalyst PW9@ZnO/Ag and the photocatalytic degradation of butyl xanthate under visible light

Photocatalytic technology is attracting considerable attention for the advantages of low cost and environmentally friendly properties. In this study, a novel photocatalyst PW9@ZnO/Ag (PZA) was synthesized hydrothermally and characterized by a variety of means. The results indicated that ZnO and Ag NPs were successfully decorated and uniformly dispersed on PW9 to form the composites. The prepared PZA was applied in the degradation of simulated butyl xanthate (BX) beneficiation wastewater both under the UV light and the xenon lamp, and a maximum degradation of 99.83% was obtained under the visible light with 10% ZnO loading, 1 g/L PZA, initial BX concentration of 20 mg/L, and pH 5.5. The PZA was recovered and reused for 5 times, and the degradation rates remained above 70%. Superoxide radical (·O2−) was the main active species for the photocatalytic degradation of BX. The experimental results demonstrate that PZA is a promising photocatalyst, making it a prospective strategy to overcome current challengers in the use of xanthate degradation and beneficiation wastewater treatment under visible light.

Constructing S-scheme heterojunction of octahedral flower-like ZnIn2S4/Bi2WO6 nanocone with enhanced photocatalytic activity

In this study, we fabricated octahedral flower-like ZnIn2S4/Bi2WO6 (ZIS/BWO) composite photocatalysts employing octahedral Bi2WO6 nanocones and sheet ZnIn2S4 by in-situ growth method. The synthesized composites were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), respectively. It can be observed that ZnIn2S4 nanosheets grows from the surface of the Bi2WO6 nanocone to form octahedral flower-like ZIS/BWO nanocone composite photocatalysts. The prepared ZIS/BWO composite photocatalysts are speculated that it conforms to the S-scheme heterojunction by UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-DRS) and electrochemical analyses combing with the redox potential of reactive oxygen species. The S-scheme heterojunction of ZIS/BWO composite photocatalysts exhibits good separation and transportation of photogenerated carriers by photocurrent and photoluminescence (PL). In addition, the ZIS/BWO composites with S-scheme heterojunction enhances photocatalytic degradation Rhodamine B (RhB), which still showed good photocatalytic activity (62.4%) after four consecutive cycles of photodegradation experiments. This S-scheme heterojunction of the unique structure will be potential and promising photocatalytic catalysts for environmental purification and energy conversion in the coming years.

Photocatalytic degradation of xanthate in flotation plant tailings by TiO2/graphene nanocomposites

• TiO 2 /G photocatalytic catalyst was prepared through a hydrothermal method. • TiO 2 /G catalyst was applied for the treatment of mineral processing wastewater. • 18% TiO 2 /G showed superior photocatalytic performance than TiO 2 . This study has invented a novel composite photocatalytic material of TiO 2 /graphene (TiO 2 /G) via the hydrothermal method. The prepared TiO 2 /graphene (TiO 2 /G) composite catalysts were investigated in detail using various characterisation experiments. The characterisation experiments indicated that the TiO 2 /graphene (TiO 2 /G) nanocomposites were successfully prepared. It can be observed that the TiO 2 nanoparticles were observed uniformly distributing on the graphene oxide (GO) and the prepared TiO 2 /graphene (TiO 2 /G) nanocomposites possess huge specific surface area, small pore size, and low electron-hole pair complexation rate to degrade the pollutants. For the first time, TiO 2 /G is used as a photocatalytic material to treat mineral processing wastewater. Compared to GO and TiO 2 , under simulated light irradiation, the photodegradation efficiency of 18% TiO 2 /G samples reached 97.03% after 100 min. By successfully anchoring TiO 2 on GO, the photoresponse range of TiO 2 /G was broadened (from 200–380 nm to 200–800 nm). The activity was also further improved (after 100 min of simulated light, the photocatalytic efficiency of pure TiO 2 was only 17.88%, and the photocatalytic efficiency of 18% TiO 2 /G was 5.43 times higher than that of pure TiO 2 ). This work advances the development of a potential photo-, photoelectro-systems for the treatment of real mineral processing wastewater.

Photocatalytic degradation of amoxicillin and tetracycline by template synthesized nano-structured Ce3+@TiO2 thin film catalyst

Contamination of the aquatic environment with pharmaceutical compounds is a serious environmental concern. The present investigation aims to utilize the Ce3+/TiO2 thin film catalyst to remove of potential antibiotics (amoxicillin and tetracycline) using the less harmful UV-A radiations. Reduced cerium ion-doped TiO2 is obtained by a simple one-step facile template method using polyethylene glycol as the templating agent. The synthesized catalysts Ce3+@TiO2 (non-template) and Ce3+@TiO2(T) (template) were characterized by spectroscopic methods. The XPS reaffirms the reduced Ce3+ dispersed within the titania network, and the AFM showed the surface roughness of the thin films. Detailed physicochemical analyses were conducted to deduce the degradation mechanism, and repeated use of the thin film photocatalyst showed enhanced stability. Significant mineralization of the antibiotics indicates the potential applicability of the photocatalytic catalyst. Furthermore, the presence of Ce3+ significantly restricted the recombination of electron/hole pairs in the photo-excited TiO2 semiconductor and showed enhanced photocatalytic degradation of the antibiotics proceeded predominantly through the •OH.