Photocatalytic Effect Research Articles

Exploring the Mechanism for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Oxytetracycline in Water using TiO2 and Supplementary Oxidants

The persistent presence of antibiotics in wastewater, exemplified by oxytetracycline (OTC), poses environmental risks, necessitating robust removal strategies. This study investigates the effectiveness of photocatalysis utilizing TiO2 (P25) treated at various temperatures, combined with different oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium peroxydisulfate (PDS), potassium peroxomonosulfate (PMS) under diverse experimental conditions. The research systematically explores the impact of temperature, pH, and oxidant concentration on the efficiency of OTC degradation. Our findings reveal that the combination of P25/500, PDS, UV irradiation, and stirring demonstrates superior OTC degradation, surpassing 99% efficiency after 180 min. Optimal pH conditions are identified, emphasizing the importance of balancing acidity for enhanced performance. The study also provides insights into the optimal PDS concentration, indicating a threshold beyond which further increases yield diminishing returns. Mechanistic understanding is enhanced through scavenger experiments, elucidating the pivotal role of reactive oxygen species, particularly O2•−, in the photocatalytic process. This research offers a practical framework for TiO2-based photocatalysis in wastewater treatment, emphasizing tailored conditions for efficient antibiotic removal. The outcomes contribute valuable insights to the development of sustainable wastewater treatment protocols targeting antibiotic pollutants.

Photo-fenton catalysis degradation of 4-dodecylmorpholine by heterogeneous microprocessor Cu2O/SnO2

The increasing demand for potash has led to the increased use of 4-dodecyl morpholine (DMP), an important froth flotation agent for the extraction for potash extraction by “reverse flotation-cold crystallization”. As it is not easy to be stable and decompose in its natural state, it has seriously endangered the environment of salt lakes and the development of salt lake resources. The development of a safe and harmless catalytic system to accomplish the degradation and removal of DMP is urgent. Herein, A Cu2O/SnO2/PDA (CSP) nanoparticle with a synergistic effect of photocatalysis and Fenton-like catalysis was developed, and the CSP had a good photothermal conversion efficiency. Under 808 nm NIR irradiation, not only the catalyst activity was enhanced, but also the complexation rate of electron-hole pairs was reduced, which effectively increased the degradation efficiency of DMP (an increase of about 31.56 %). In addition, by analyzing the degradation products of DMP, the possible pathways of the DMP degradation process were proposed and, at the same time, the degradation catalytic system we used was proved to be safe and harmless. A new pathway is provided for the degradation and removal of DMP in the salt lake environment.

Green‐Synthesized SnO2 Derived From Kombucha Tea and Assessment of Its Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Procion Red MX‐5B

AbstractThis study introduces a green synthesis approach for producing tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles (NPs) using Kombucha tea and evaluates their photocatalytic effectiveness in degrading the Procion Red MX‐5B (PR) dye. Characterization techniques, including UV–vis, FTIR, XRD, and TEM, confirmed the successful synthesis of SnO2 NPs with appropriate optical and structural properties. For instance; the absorption peak at 526 cm−1 in FT‐IR diagram is attributed to Sn–O which indicates the successful synthesis of SnO2. Photocatalytic tests under optimized conditions showed a notable degradation efficiency of PR dye, with the highest observed degradation efficiency reaching 97.60% at a catalyst loading of 30 mg, pH 6, in 90 min. A kinetic study was performed and the PR degradation followed first‐order reaction kinetics. For this process, the reaction kinetic rate constants were found to be 0.0589, 0.078, 0.1367, and 0.1389 min−1 for 25, 35, 45, and 55 °C, respectively. Moreover, the activation energy for the degradation process was calculated to be 25.75 kJ/mol, indicating a chemisorption mechanism. The reusability of SnO2 NPs was tested and after five subsequent usages, it still showed high degradation efficiency (95.7%). These results demonstrate the potential of Kombucha‐derived SnO2 nanoparticles as an efficient, low‐cost, reusable, and environmentally friendly photocatalyst for wastewater treatment applications.

Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles doped Leucas aspera leaf extract and its photocatalytic applications

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles have been produced from the leaf extract of Leucas aspera by utilising a straight forward co-precipitation technique in a green synthesis strategy. The produced nanoparticles are examined by photocatalytic analysis, FTIR, XRD, UV–visible, and SEM. ZnO-related distinctive peaks were visible in the FTIR spectra. The XRD investigation verifies that the produced nanoparticles have a hexagonal crystal structure. Doped ZnO utilising leaf extract has surface morphology that is practically spherical in shape and has minimal aggregation, according to SEM analysis. ZnO-LA composite's photocatalytic dye degradation effectiveness against visible light irradiations is approximately 83%.

Enhanced photocatalytic performance of (Mg, Cu) Dual-Doped ZnS nanosheets for Solar-Driven water treatment and embedded with PVA polymer membrane for reusability

Photocatalysis uses semiconductor materials to solar energy effectively purify to water by eliminating pollutants. Organic Dye degradation serves as a standard to assess the photocatalytic effects of the materials. In this study Mg, Cu dual-doped ZnS nanosheets were synthesized using the coprecipitation method. The impact of the concentration on the structural, morphology, optical, and degradation efficiency was investigated with XRD, XPS, TEM with EDAX, and UV spectroscopy. The pure ZnS and Zn0.98-xCu0.02MgxS (x = 0, 0.01, 0.02) (ZCM1, ZCM2, ZCM3, and ZCM4) nanosheets, exhibited cubic structure with high phase purity. The average crystalline size was calculated as 1.66, 1.60, 1.45, and 1.47 nm for the ZCM1, ZCM2, ZCM3, and ZCM4 nanosheets, respectively. TEM analysis revealed the presence of crumpled nanosheets. The bandgap of the ZCM1, ZCM2, ZCM3, and ZCM4 nanosheets were 3.99, 3.78, 4.03, and 4.09 eV respectively. This study investigated the photocatalytic activity of crystal violet dye when exposed to natural sunlight irradiation. Notably, ZCM3 nanosheets exhibited a high degradation rate of 99 % over 120 min under sunlight. Furthermore, the proposed dye degradation mechanism, effect of dosage, effect of dye variation, reusability, scavenging activity, and hemolytic activity were comprehensively discussed. The nanosheets embedded with the Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer membrane for reusability.

High-efficiency treatment of oily wastewater by photocatalytic in-situ Fenton oxidation under visible light

Oily wastewater poses a significant threat to environmental safety, and complex water environments have caused numerous disturbances in oil pollution treatment. Therefore, constructing composite systems is expected to improve oil pollution treatment efficiency. This study developed an efficient photocatalytic in-situ Fenton oxidation system, HTCC@ZnFe2O4/Ag3PO4 (HZFA), loaded onto polypropylene spheres (PP) for treating oily wastewater (diesel oil) in complex environments. The built-in electric field of HZFA promotes photogenerated carrier separation, enhancing photocatalytic effect. At a diesel concentration of 3.2 g/L, performance of HZFA degraded diesel in deionized water and artificial seawater (ASW) were 60.80 % and 52.62 %, respectively, much higher than a pure photocatalytic system (13.84 %). The dual system compensated for single system defects like instability and narrow application range, achieving 8 effective cycles in ASW. Experimental and computational results showed that high oxidation and reduction potentials in the dual system promoted hydrocarbon oxidative degradation and H2O2 production/activation. The amount of OH, O2−, and h+ produced in different environments is fundamental for the stabilization of catalytic degradation by HZFA. GC–MS and DFT analysis revealed potential oxidative chain-breaking processes for diesel components like alkanes, aromatics, alcohols, acids, aldehydes, and esters. This study offers a new method for green and efficient oily wastewater treatment, overcoming inherent defects of traditional Fenton, with broad application prospects.

Synergetic effect of photocatalysis and peroxymonosulphate activated by MIL-53Fe@PDI Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst for removal of doxycycline hydrochloride

Synergetic effect of photocatalysis and peroxymonosulphate activated by MIL-53Fe@PDI Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst for removal of doxycycline hydrochloride

A novel bi-level optimal strategy-assisted design boosting discovery of specific surface area of perovskite oxide for effective photocatalysis

Due to the inherent property of materials, photocatalysis plays a crucial role in diverse applications, such as the degradation of organic pollutants, fuel production, and nitrogen fixation. Perovskites, in particular, are remarkable for their high light absorption rate and energy conversion efficiency within the visible light range, thereby positioning them as promising photocatalysts. Given that specific surface area (SSA) is a critical metric for evaluating photocatalytic performance, accurately and quickly predicting the SSA of perovskites has emerged as a key area of technical research. Therefore, it is essential to explore the relationship between potential materials descriptors and SSA, which can significantly expedite the discovery of photocatalyzed perovskite materials with high SSA. In this study, we proposed a bi-level optimization method that combines descriptors identified strategy and model optimization strategy for predicting the SSA of unknown perovskite candidates, thereby elucidating the relationship between material features and SSA. Initially, at the upper level, the Gradient Boosting Regression combined with Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE-GBR) method was employed to identify crucial features that are closely correlated with the SSA of photocatalyzed perovskites. Subsequently, the Sure Independence Screening.Sparsifying Operator (SISSO) was utilized to develop new descriptors that exhibited strong correlations with SSA. Based on refined descriptors identifiied at the upper level, at the lower level, the optimal model strategy was obtained by Improved Osprey Optimization Algorithm (IOOA) using golden sine strategy and Gradient Boosting Regression (GBR) regression to tune the key parameters of GBR for optimizing SSA. The optimal designing method achieved remarkable predictive performance with R2 (R-squared) score of 0.90 and MAE (Mean Absolute Error) of 3.97 m2/g, along with 5-fold cross-validation. Then this method was applied to predict the SSA of 300 unidentified ABO3 perovskites. Comparison with experimental data revealed that our approach significantly accelerated the development of perovskite materials with superior photocatalytic properties, showing the potential of our model in advancing the field of photocatalysis.

Recent Advances in Antibacterial Strategies Based on TiO2 Biomimetic Micro/Nano-Structured Surfaces Fabricated Using the Hydrothermal Method

Ti and its alloys, widely utilized in orthopedic and dental implants, inherently lack antibacterial properties, posing significant infection risks, especially in the context of growing antibiotic resistance. This review critically evaluates non-antibiotic antibacterial strategies, with a particular focus on surface modifications and micro/nano-structured surfaces. Micro/nano-structured surfaces, inspired by natural topographies, utilize physical mechanisms to eradicate bacteria. Despite their potential, the antibacterial efficacy of these surfaces remains insufficient for clinical application. Titanium dioxide (TiO2), known for its excellent photocatalytic antibacterial activity and biocompatibility, is emerging as an ideal candidate for enhancing micro/nano-structured surfaces. By combining the photocatalytic antibacterial effects of TiO2 with the mechanical bactericidal properties of micro/nano-structured surfaces, superior antibacterial performance can be achieved. The hydrothermal method is frequently employed to fabricate TiO2 micro/nano-structured surfaces, and this area of research continues to thrive, particularly in the development of antibacterial strategies. With demonstrated efficacy, combined antibacterial strategies based on TiO2 micro/nano-structured surfaces have become a prominent focus in current research. Consequently, the integration of physical stimulation and chemical release mechanisms may represent the future direction for TiO2 micro/nano-structured surfaces. This review aims to advance the study of TiO2 micro/nano-structured surfaces in antibacterial applications and to inspire more effective non-antibiotic antibacterial solutions.

A Novel BiOBr/CAU-17 Composite with Enhanced Photo-Catalytic Performance for Dye Degradation and Removal of Tetracycline Antibiotic Under Visible Light.

In order to improve the low specific surface area and high recombinant light generation carriers of BiOBr, loading BiOBr onto suitable Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) is an effective strategy to unleash its efficient visible light response and intrinsic catalytic activity. In this study, using classic MOF CAU-17 as a precursor, using a straightforward co-precipitation technique, four BiOBr/CAU-17 composites with distinct MOF contents values BCAU-1, BCAU-2, BC, AU-3, and BCAU-4 were created, and their photo-catalytic characteristics were examined. The BCAU-2 composite exhibited much higher photo-catalytic degradation efficiency for Rhodamine B (RhB) and Tetracycline (TC) than the pristine materials, counter compositions, and early reported materials. XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, and EDX results revealed the strong synergistic photo-catalytic effect of BiOBr and CAU-17. The photocatalytic degradation of TC was significantly enhanced by the BiOBr bimetal modification, with the 2 wt.% BiOBr/CAU-17 nanocomposite achieving an 87.2 % degradation of TC and 82 % Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal within 60 min. The high photo-degradation efficiency of BCAU-2 composite should be attributed to the efficient transfer of photo-generated carriers at interfaces and the synergistic effect between BiOBr/CAU-17. Furthermore, the experiments on the capture of the active species proved that the main active free radicals involved in the degradation of RhB and TC are attributed to the photo-induced holes h+ and ⋅ O2 - under visible light. The catalyst's efficacy is corroborated by the outcomes of photoluminescence spectroscopy and photo current response. This study offers a new understanding for the design of green synthesis schemes for photo-catalytic dye degradation and removal of certain antibiotics from the aquatic environment.

White-light driven sterilization based on chlorine-doped cuprous oxide for antibacterial food packaging

Microbial spoilage and pathogen contamination present significant challenges to food quality and safety. Incorporating photodynamic sterilization (PDT) into active packaging films, especially using white light-driven methods, is recognized as one of the most effective strategies to combat microbial contamination and extend shelf-life. Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) shows promise due to its suitable band gap for absorbing visible light, although its photocatalytic effectiveness is hindered by electron-hole recombination. In this study, a chlorine (Cl) doping strategy was investigated to enhance Cu2O’s PDT capabilities under visible light. This approach aimed to improve Cu2O’s band structure for generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and to enhance charge carrier separation efficiency, thereby inhibiting recombination. The resulting Cl-doped Cu2O (Cl-Cu2O) exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity, which was integrated into a gelatin (Gel) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)-based food packaging film, referred to as the GC/Cl-Cu2O film. This innovative film provides a white light-driven active packaging solution designed to extend the shelf life of fruits by suppressing microbial growth. This approach not only addresses food safety concerns but also mitigates economic losses associated with food waste, offering a sustainable solution to enhance the quality and safety of perishable goods.

A novel multifunctional photocatalytic membrane based on β-FeOOH for oily wastewater purification

In order to deal with the environmental pollution caused by complex oily wastewater, it is necessary to develop filtration membrane materials. However, significant challenges such as poor effect of emulsion separation, limited functionality, and susceptibility to membrane fouling require urgent resolution. Here, we successfully prepared a β-hydroxyl iron oxide/polydopamine-polyethylenimine/polyacrylonitrile (β-FeOOH/PDA-PEI/PAN) nanofiber membrane for treatment of complex wastewater by growing PDA-PEI on a blow-spinning PAN nanofiber membrane and decorating the membrane with β-FeOOH. The porous structure and the large number of hydrophilic groups greatly increase the hydrophilicity of the membrane and give the membrane high permeation fluxes (11531.26 L m−2 h−1) for surfactant-free kerosene-in-water emulsion. The loaded β-FeOOH nanorods increase the roughness of the membrane surface, which enhances the underwater superoleophobic ability of the membrane, and promotes the demulsification of the emulsion and makes it have high separation efficiency of 99.48 % for surfactant-stabilized kerosene-in-water emulsion. In addition, the β-FeOOH/PDA-PEI/PAN also exhibited high organic dye removal efficiency (99.38 %) due to the presence of β-FeOOH. The synergistic effect of low oil adhesion and photocatalysis enhances the antifouling and self-cleaning performances of the material. Significantly, the multifunctional membrane also shows exceptional oil/water separation ability and good stability. The presented synergistic strategy of β-FeOOH/PDA-PEI/PAN membrane materials represents a prospective candidate for the treatment of complex wastewater.

Saraca asoca-assisted green synthesise of ZnO nanoplatelets for photocatalytic activity and adsorption kinetics

ABSTRACT ZnO nanoplatelets (ZnO NPLs) have been successfully synthesised using microwave-assisted technique (400 W, 180 sec) with the plant extract Saraca-asoca. The surface morphology analysis confirms ZnO’s plate-like nanostructure, leading to the creation of ZnO NPLs. The results show excellent photocatalytic performance (at 125 W for both UV and visible light) and effectiveness against malachite green (MG), methyl orange (MO) and rhodamine B (RhB). Notably, ZnO NPLs break down malachite green (MG) exceptionally well, reaching a maximum degradation efficiency of 92% in under 30 min (UV light). Moreover, ZnO NPLs have been evaluated for MG adsorption characterised by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model, alongside the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models. In the Freundlich model, the maximal adsorption capacity is determined to be 331 mg/g. These new faceted ZnO NPLs have a great potential for use in photocatalytic and adsorption processes that aim to reduce aqueous pollutants.

Uncovering the synthesis of a visible light-driven manganese-doped copper bismuth oxide catalyst for enhanced degradation of dye: Insights into the factors affecting the degradation

In recent times, effluent pollution has had an exceptionally detrimental effect on aquatic life as well as human beings. The management of wastewater has emerged as a formidable undertaking for scientists owing to the existence of organic contaminants. Herein, we synthesized the manganese-doped copper bismuth oxide (Mn0.15Cu0.85Bi2O4) through hydrothermal method and employed them for successfully eliminating complex pollutants. The assessment of the visible light-induced photocatalytic efficacy of the catalyst was performed for the degradation of methyl violet (MV). MV had a degradation of 89.68% when CuBi2O4 was used. However, the degrading rate of the Mn0.15Cu0.85Bi2O4 escalated to 99.18% in 36 min. The rate constant exhibited a rise between 0.0627 and 0.1134 min−1, confirming the effectiveness of the Mn0.15Cu0.85Bi2O4. The effectiveness of the Mn0.15Cu0.85Bi2O4 is due to its superior surface area (51.97 m2/g), which arises from the integration of Mn-ions. Additionally, examining the impact of different reaction variables revealed a substantial correlation with the elimination of MV dye. The potential reason for the deterioration of MV could be attributed to the generation of •OH and O2•− radicals, which was confirmed by radical trapping experiments. The photostability of the generated Mn0.15Cu0.85Bi2O4 catalyst exhibited remarkable characteristics. Ultimately, this study presents a technique for creating effective catalysts for treating wastewater that is both economical and practical.

Antifouling characteristics and mechanisms in visible-light photocatalytic membrane bioreactor based on g-C3N4 modified membrane

A novel visible-light photocatalytic membrane bioreactor (R3) was constructed for membrane fouling control and effluent quality improvement. Specially, g-C3N4 modified membrane was evaluated for the performance of synergistic separation and photocatalysis. Another two parallel reactors, MBRs with ceramic membrane (R1) and g-C3N4 membrane in dark condition (R2), were operated synchronously for comparison. A satisfactory effluent quality was obtained in R3 with COD and NH4+-N around 22.0 mg/L and 1.02 mg/L during 60-day operation, which was superior to R1 (27.8, 1.42 mg/L) and R2 (29.9, 2.26 mg/L). The thickness of cake layer on membranes in R3 (2.46 μm) was thinner than R1 (3.52 μm) and R2 (4.97 μm) after operation, indicating the introduction of visible light could effectively mitigate membranes fouling. Moreover, microorganism community analysis revealed that visible light increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Chryseolinea, which not only enhanced the activity of microorganisms in metabolizing organic nutrients, but also improved the transfer and utilization of photogenerated electrons on the semiconductor-microorganism interface. The active aromatic protein metabolism and the upregulated related enzymes further demonstrated the synergistic effect of photocatalysis and microbial communities on the membrane fouling mitigation. This work provides a novel application of photocatalysis into antibiofouling effect in MBRs, and opens a strategy for bacteria inactivation and foulants removal with eco-friendly solar energy.

Photocatalytic Bleaching Process of Cotton Fabric with H2O2 and H2O2 /n-TiO2

This study delves into the exploration of an alternative bleaching method as a substitute for hydrogen peroxide, addressing concerns related to its excessive chemical usage, high waste load, and elevated energy and water consumption. Photocatalytic bleaching was implemented on 100% cotton fabrics. Initially, hydrogen peroxide served as a catalyst, and the photocatalytic effect was meticulously examined. Subsequently, nano-sized TiO2 was introduced into the photocatalytic recipe, and operational conditions were fine-tuned to determine the optimal bleaching process for cotton fabrics. All photocatalytic experiments were systematically compared with conventional hydrojen peroxide bleaching method. A comprehensive analysis, encompassing color spectrum values, SEM, SEM-EDX, XRD, and FTIR-ATR tests, was conducted. The results revealed a notable 13.36% enhancement in whiteness performance during bleaching when subjected to photocatalytic treatment with nano TiO2 and H2O2 in tandem. This study posits itself as an environmentally conscious alternative to the long-standing conventional bleaching processes prevalent in the textile industry.

Effects of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) on Physico-Chemical Properties of Low-Density Polyethylene.

Hazardous chemicals are transported on rail and road networks. In the case of accidental spillage or terror attack, civilian and military first responders must approach the scene equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment. The plausible manufacturing of chemical protective polymer material, from photocatalyst anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) doped low-density polyethylene (LDPE), for cost-effective durable lightweight protective garments against toxic chemicals such as 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulphide (CEES) was investigated. The photocatalytic effects on the physico-chemical properties, before and after ultraviolet (UV) light exposure were evaluated. TiO2 (0, 5, 10, 15% wt) doped LDPE films were extruded and characterized by SEM-EDX, TEM, tensile tester, DSC-TGA and permeation studies before and after exposure to UV light, respectively. Results revealed that tensile strength and thermal analysis showed an increasing shift, whilst CEES permeation times responded oppositely with a significant decrease from 127 min to 84 min due to the degradation of the polymer matrix for neat LDPE, before and after UV exposure. The TiO2-doped films showed an increasing shift in results obtained for physical properties as the doping concentration increased, before and after UV exposure. Relating to chemical properties, the trend was the inverse of the physical properties. The 15% TiO2-doped film showed improved permeation times only when the photocatalytic TiO2 was activated. However, 5% TiO2-doped film exceptionally maintained better permeation times before and after UV exposure demonstrating better resistance against CEES permeation.

Molybdenum Disulfide–Zinc Oxide Mixed Phase Network as Water Purifier

AbstractThe present work reports the development of oxide‐sulfide hybrid by simple hydrothermal process where zinc oxide (ZnO) prepared by simple chemical process is added in situ during the growth of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) by hydrothermal process. The as prepared sample is characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDX). XRD confirms the coexistence of both ZnO and MoS2 in the sample whereas FESEM shows that fractal kind of sulfide structures get developed over ZnO rod. EDX carries the information regarding the stoichiometry of the sample. The sample is proven to be an excellent remover of textile dyes by synergistic effect of photocatalysis and adsorption with almost 100% efficiency following simple first‐order reaction kinetics. When the porous structure of the sample helps the process of adsorption, the charge transfer mechanism has been assumed to be responsible for photocatalytic dye degradation. The latter involves the transferring of electrons or holes between the photocatalyst and the dye molecules, leading to the generation of reactive species that initiate the degradation process. The combined effect of these two processes takes only 30 min to degrade textile dyes like Bengal rose (BR) and methylene blue (MB). Thus, the present work is supposed to serve as milestone in the associated field.

Investigation of long-range plasmonic field effects in Au@SiO2 nanostructures using p-nitrophenol reduction

As an emerging field, plasmonic photocatalysis has gradually garnered attention from researchers. It is generally accepted that localized surface plasmonic resonance (LSPR) in noble metallic nanostructures enhances photocatalysis through the induction of a long-range plasmonic field. Furthermore, nanostructures in close proximity can enhance the electromagnetic (EM) field via plasmonic coupling, which also contributes to improved photocatalytic activity. In this study, core-shell nanostructures composed of Au nanorods (AuNRs) with pinhole-free SiO2 shells (pf-AuNRs@SiO2) are synthesized as non-contact, long-range photocatalysts. By tuning the aspect ratios (ARs) of the AuNRs to match the LSPR peaks with the wavelength of the irradiation light source, an optimized photocatalytic effect was achieved in the reduction of p-nitrophenol (p-NP). Additionally, by comparing shell thicknesses of 5 nm and 10 nm, it was observed that the 5 nm thickness exhibited superior catalytic efficiency. This enhancement is attributed to the thinner shell allowing reactants to be placed within a stronger plasmonic field.

Biocompatible 2D SnSe Nanoflake Employed Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B

AbstractIn this article, we report the results of the photocatalytic effect of the cost effective grown SnSe nanoparticles (NPs), nanoflakes (NFs), nanoflowers (NFLs) on the toxic water contaminant dye of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation different duration time. The results showed that for the degradation of 99 %, 96 % and 94 % of the RhB have been occurred in presence of NFs, NFLs, NPs, respectively for the irradiation time of 30 min, 45 min, 65 min, respectively. Before photocatalytic test, the grown SnSe were characterised optically and structurally. The nanoparticles, nano flakes, nanoflowers morphology along with atomic composition of Sn and Se were observed from FESEM images and EDAX analysis. The direct band gap of the NPs, NFs, NFLs was calculated from UV‐VIS spectrum and found to be 1.89 eV, 1.78 eV, 1.7 eV, respectively. The crystal structure showed orthorhombic crystal phase with nanocrystal sizes varies from 22 nm to 31 nm. The Scavenger test in presence of the scavenging elements BQ, IPA, ethanol and EDTA have been discussed. The stability test showed that SnSe NFs is a good and stable catalysis for practical applications. The effect of the NFs, NPs, NFLs on red blood cell showed that all the tested SnSe nanostructures had <2 % hemolysis, suggesting their hemocompatible nature.