Visible Light-driven Photocatalysis Research Articles

Enhancing Visible Light-Driven Photocatalysis for Water Treatment: Optimizing Fe3O4@SiO2@Cr–TiO2–S Nanocomposite Efficiency with Silver and Palladium Deposition

Enhancing Visible Light-Driven Photocatalysis for Water Treatment: Optimizing Fe3O4@SiO2@Cr–TiO2–S Nanocomposite Efficiency with Silver and Palladium Deposition

Solvated Electrons Generated on the Surface of Na-SPHI for Boosting Visible Light Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Ultra-High AQE.

Enhancing the utilization of visible-light-active semiconductors with an excellent apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) remains a significant and challenging goal in the realm of photocatalytic water splitting. In this study, a fully condensed sulfur-doped poly(heptazine imide) metalized with Na (Na-SPHI) is synthesized by an ionothermal method by using eutectic NaCl/LiCl mixture as the ionic solvent. Comprehensive characterizations of the obtained Na-SPHI reveal several advantageous features, including heightened light absorption, facilitated exciton dissociation, and expedited charge transfer. More importantly, solvated electron, powerful reducing agents, can be generated on the surface of Na-SPHI upon irradiation with visible light. Benefiting from above advantage, the Na-SPHI exhibits an excellent H2 evolution rate of 571.8 µmol·h-1 under visible light illumination and a super-high AQE of 61.7% at 420nm. This research emphasizes the significance of the solvated electron on the surface of photocatalyst in overcoming the challenges associated with visible light-driven photocatalysis, showcasing its potential application in photocatalytic water splitting.

Green synthesis of xanthene derivatives through visible light-driven photocatalysis using blackberry dye-sensitized TiO2

Researchers are actively exploring novel approaches to sustainable chemistry, aiming to reduce environmental harm while optimizing efficiency. One promising approach is visible light photocatalysis, which enables organic transformations under mild conditions. This research investigation focuses on the synthesis of xanthene derivatives (12-Aryl/hetroaryl-8,9,10,12-tetrahydrobenzo [a] xanthen-11-oness) via a three-component, one-pot condensation reaction of 2-naphthol, dimedone, and aldehydes using visible light-responsive TiO2 nanoparticles sensitized with blackberry dye. A comparative analysis was conducted between pristine TiO2 nanoparticles and blackberry dye-sensitized TiO2 (BB dye-TiO2) to evaluate their photocatalytic activities. The results unequivocally demonstrated the superior photocatalytic activity of BB dye-TiO2 compared to pristine TiO2 nanoparticles. The study determined the optimal operating conditions for achieving an efficient photocatalytic synthesis of xanthene derivatives and proposed a mechanism for the photocatalytic process. The optimized conditions for photocatalytic synthesis with a yield of 98% included a reaction time of 30 min, a light intensity of 100 mW/cm2, and a photocatalyst concentration of 1 g/L. Moreover, the reusability test revealed that the BB dye-TiO2 maintained its photocatalytic activity for up to four runs, with only a slight decrease observed. This study highlights the immense potential of natural dye sensitization and visible light photocatalysis for sustainable chemical synthesis, effectively bridging the realms of green chemistry and synthetic organic chemistry.

SnS2 based SnS2/rGO/g-C3N4 Z-scheme ternary nanocomposites for efficient visible light-driven photocatalytic activity

Novel ternary composite photocatalyst SnS2/rGO/g-C3N4 in a Z-scheme configuration was synthesized using hydrothermal method for the degradation of dye pollutants from the industrial wastes. To enhance photocatalytic effectiveness, we employed Z-scheme architecture by utilizing SnS2 as a semiconductor with the unique electronic properties of rGO and g-C3N4 for promoting efficient charge separation. The synthesized ternary composite materials were characterized by various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The photocatalytic activities of these samples were evaluated through the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under visible light. Notably, the catalysts SnS2, SnS2/rGO, SnS2/g-C3N4, and SnS2/rGO/g-C3N4 exhibited degradation efficiencies of 55%, 57%, 64%, and 86%, respectively, after 70 min. Among these, the ternary composite catalyst of SnS2/rGO/g-C3N4 exhibited enhanced degradation performance. Furthermore, when exposed to visible light, the unique crisscross morphology and Z scheme architecture effectively promote light utilization efficiency, providing ample reactive sites and leading to a higher degradation percentage. Further optimization of experiments for this composite material involved in varying catalyst loadings, dye concentrations, and pH levels. The SnS2/rGO/g-C3N4 composite exhibited optimal degradation performance with 5 mg catalyst in a 25 ppm MB solution within 100 ml. This composite was identified for the first time as an excellent visible light-driven photocatalyst for MB, displaying high degradation efficiencies. These findings emphasize the promising potential of the SnS2/rGO/g-C3N4 ternary nanocomposite for applications in visible light-driven photocatalysis.

Peroxymonosulfate activation by boron doped C3N5 metal-free materials with n → π* electronic transitions for tetracycline degradation under visible light: Insights into the generation of reactive species

Heterogeneous photocatalysis coupled with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation is regarded as an advanced water treatment technology for emerging contaminates degradation. We introduce a novel coupling system that integrates PMS with metal-free visible light-driven photocatalysis, utilizing boron doped C3N5 (BCNs), with the objective of swiftly eliminating tetracycline (TC) from wastewater. With commendable traits including a robust response to visible light, n → π* electronic transitions and a narrow bandgap, 3BCN optimized from BCNs, exhibited superior catalytic activity in photocatalysis and PMS activation. In 3BCN/PMS/vis system, the degradation efficiency of TC reached 88.6 % in 120 min, with an observed rate constant (kobs) of 0.0222 min−1 for TC removal. Moreover, in real water matrices including tap water, landscape water and secondary effluent, the 3BCN/PMS/vis system consistently maintained high and stable pollutant removal efficiency. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, the origins of reactive species (h+, SO4−•, •OH and 1O2) were identified and the enhanced pathways in the PMS-based photocatalytic system were systematically investigated. Based on theoretical calculations, generation pathway of reactive oxygen species involving PMS oxidation and reduction over the region of boron atom neighboring N in BCN was unraveled. The BCN catalyst was employed in a flow-through device to explore its potential in practical application. The results showed that continuous and impressive efficient removal of TC was achieved with over 93 % removal rate during 32 h operation. Our findings underscore the substantial promise of chemical-photocatalysis synergy for environment remediation, offering a feasible approach to optimize the performance of metal-free materials in photo-catalytic oxidation of antibiotics.

Boosting the performance of LaCoO3/MoS2 perovskite interface for sustainable decontaminants under visible light-driven photocatalysis

The novel composite LaCoO3/MoS2 hybrid nanostructure was synthesized via a combination of sol-gel, hydrothermal, and ultrasonication methods. Alizarin Red S (ARS) and Rhodamine B (RhB) were employed as a model pollutant, to assess the photodegradation efficiency of synthesized catalysts. The effect of MoS2 (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10%) on LaCoO3 (LCO) and its photocatalytic performance was studied. The properties of synthesized catalysts were assessed using various material characterization techniques. The photocatalytic dye degradation of ARS and RhB was investigated under visible light. Among the synthesized catalyst LM-5% composite (LaCoO3 with 5% MoS2) is determined to be the best photocatalyst as it degrades 96 % (ARS) and 90 % (RhB) in 40 min and 80 min, respectively. The photocatalyst is stable even after multiple runs and exhibits negligible loss in degradation efficiency during the cyclic test. Trapping experiments reveal the significance of superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals against the photodegradation of ARS and RhB. The kinetics of photodegradation of ARS and RhB by LM-5% is found to be 5.70 × 10−2 and 2.25 × 10−2 min−1, respectively. Herein, we demonstrated a catalyst possessing excellent photodegradation activity which may ignite the possibilities of using efficient photocatalysts for environmental remediation.

Visible light-induced catalytic performance of composite photocatalyst synthesized with nanomaterials WO3 and two-dimensional ultrathin g-C3N4.

To improve the visible light-induced catalytic activities of Ultrathin g-C3N4 (UCN), a promising photocatalyst WO3/UCN (WU) was synthesized. Its visible light-driven photocatalysis performance was controllable by adjusting the theoretical mass ratio of WO3/UCN. We have calibrated the optimal preparation conditions to be: WO3/UCN ratio as 1:1, the stirring time of the UCN and sodium tungstate mixture as 9 h and the volume of concentrated hydrochloric acid as 6 mL which was poured into the mixture solution with an extra stirring time of 1.5 h. The optimal photocatalyst WUopt had porous and wrinkled configurations. Its light absorption edge was 524 nm while that of UCN was 465 nm. The band gap of WUopt was 2.13 eV, 0.3 eV less than that of UCN. Therefore, the recombination rate of photo-generated electron-hole pairs of WUopt reduced significantly. The removal rate of WUopt on RhB was 97.3%. By contrast, the removal rate of UCN was much lower (53.4%). WUopt retained a high RhB removal rate, it was 5.5% lower than the initial one after being reused for five cycles. The photodegradation mechanism was facilitated through the strong oxidation behaviors from the active free radicals ·O2-, ·OH and h+ generated by WUopt under the visible light irradiation.

Exploring enhanced interfacial charge separation in ZnO/reduced graphene oxide hybrids on alkaline photoelectrochemical water splitting and photocatalytic pollutant degradation

Visible light-driven photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis have been intensively investigated for environmental remediation and green fuel generation. A highly efficient dual functional catalyst based on rGO decorated ZnO was synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The rGO incorporation facilitates the effective utilization of solar energy and improves the charge carrier separation and transportation efficiency. 0.5 wt% GO incorporated ZnO/rGO hybrid shows the highest photocatalytic activity towards pollutant degradation. Pure ZnO shows photocatalytic efficiency of 85 %, while ZnO/rGO shows 95 % degradation efficiency. The apparent rate constant of ZnO/rGO (67 × 10−3 min−1) showed 2.7 fold enhancement in comparison to bare ZnO (24 × 10−3 min−1). Consequently, ZnO/rGO shows highest hydrogen evolution activity by photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) water splitting in alkaline medium with a significantly lower overpotential of only 755 mV at 10 mA/cm2. The Tafel slope 101 mV/dec obtained for the ZnO/rGO hybrid is much lower than that of ZnO (149 mV/dec). This significant enhancement in photoelectrocatalytic activity of the hybrid can be attributed to the enhanced visible light absorption and reduced charge carrier recombination upon rGO incorporation. PL, TCSPC, and photocurrent response measurements deepens the investigation of the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. The observations provide novel insights into the development of photocatalysts that possess dual functions for the water-solar energy nexus.

Tailoring surface defects in Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) treated 2-D black TiO2: Post-treatment role, and intensification by peroxymonosulfate activation in visible light-driven photocatalysis

Herein, we have developed a visible light-responsive black TiO2 photocatalytic coating with controlled formation of oxygen vacancies (OV) and Ti3+ species, crucial for enhancing photocatalytic reactions. The rational control of these semiconductor defects was achieved through plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), followed by NaOH post-treatment. The coating's effectiveness was evaluated by tetracycline (TC) degradation. The surface defects function as traps, reducing electron/hole recombination and forming mid-gap/localized-donor states, narrowing the band gap. Rigorous material characterization confirmed unaffected morphology and PEO coating phases, while increasing the density of OVs and Ti3+ species. As a result, TC photo-degradation was ∼3.5 times higher compared to plain PEO coatings. The material demonstrated exceptional stability and efficiency, while it was successfully intensified via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, leading to high synergies (2.10). Scavenger tests revealed the existence of both radical/non-radical pathways, indicating the prevailing photocatalytic mechanism and the key differences achieved through this novel process.

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

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

Fabrication of plasma-reduced silver coupled with titanium dioxide nanoparticles for visible light-driven photocatalysis

The photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide (TiO2) was improved by forming a matrix containing silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by a plasma process. The plasma-assisted reduction process successfully formed metallic Ag on the surface of the TiO2 NP matrix to create the Ag-TiO2 Janus heterostructure. The synthesized NPs were characterized using Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller surface analysis, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy. Photocatalytic dye decomposition experiments revealed up to 96% methylene blue removal after 4 h of visible light irradiation, a fivefold increase in removal efficiency compared to using TiO2 NPs only.

Carbonaceous Material Modified MoO2 Nanospheres with Oxygen Vacancies for Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Oxidative Coupling of Benzylamine.

Surface oxygen vacancy (OV) plays a pivotal role in the activation of molecular oxygen and separation of electrons and holes in photocatalysis. Herein, carbonaceous materials-modified MoO2 nanospheres with abundant surface OVs (MoO2/C-OV) were successfully synthesized via glucose hydrothermal processes. In situ introduction of carbonaceous materials triggered a reconstruction of the MoO2 surface, which introduced abundant surface OVs on the MoO2/C composites. The surface oxygen vacancies on the obtained MoO2/C-OV were confirmed via electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The surface OVs and carbonaceous materials boosted the activation of molecular oxygen to singlet oxygen (1O2) and superoxide anion radical (•O2-) in selectively photocatalytic oxidation of benzylamine to imine. The conversion of benzylamine was 10 times that of pristine MoO2 nanospheres with a high selectivity under visible light irradiation at 1 atm air pressure. These results open an avenue to modify Mo-based materials for visible light-driven photocatalysis.

Mutually supportive growth strategy to engineer a hollow biochar sphere-supported TiO2 composite with improved interfacial compatibility for efficient visible light-driven photocatalysis

Improving the interfacial compatibility between active components and support is significant and challenging. Herein, a mutually supportive growth strategy was created to engineer a Fe-Cu-doped hollow biochar sphere (HBS)-supported TiO2 (TiO2/Fe-Cu-HBS) composite with strong interfacial interaction via simultaneous growth of crystalline TiO2 and epitaxial carbonization of mechanical activation-treated starch-FeCl3-CuCl2. The TiO2/Fe-Cu-HBS composite with highly dispersed distribution and embedding of spherical TiO2 particles on the Fe-Cu-HBS shell had a narrow bandgap, favorable visible light capture and absorption capability, high separation efficiency of electron–hole pairs, and high transfer efficiency of photogenerated carriers. The superior photogenerated electron transport, high specific surface area, and enriched surface oxygen vacancies led to the generation of abundant reactive radicals on TiO2/Fe-Cu-HBS under visible light stimulation, contributing to efficient photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (removal rate of 95.4% within 120 min; mineralization rate of 75.3% within 180 min), rhodamine B (removal rate of 99.2% within 100 min), and carbamazepine (removal rate of 67.5% within 120 min). Moreover, TiO2/Fe-Cu-HBS maintained high photocatalytic degradation efficiency after five cycles ascribed to its favorable structural stability. A mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride and possible degradation pathways were proposed. This work provides a new growth strategy for constructing highly active and stable visible light-driven TiO2-based composite photocatalysts for effectively treating organic pollutants.

Lauric acid surface modified Co2+-ZnO@SSM composite membrane: Photocatalytic degradation of MB and oil/water separation for removal of organic pollutants

The stainless steel wire mesh supported Co2+-doped ZnO with lauric acid modification (LA/Co2+-ZnO@SSM) was prepared through hydrothermal method for dual-functional oil/water separation performance and high photocatalytic activity. By changing the immersing time of LA, the surface polarity of the LA/Co2+-ZnO@SSM composite membrane could be efficiently adjusted from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. The superhydrophobicity of LA/Co2+-ZnO@SSM was achieved after LA immersing 120 min, and the WAC value reached as 156.6 ± 3.0°. In different oil/water mixture systems, the LA/Co2+-ZnO@SSM composite membrane exhibited excellent oil/water separation ability and separation throughput, and the separation efficiency still remained above 90 % after 10-cycle separation. Meanwhile, the LA/Co2+-ZnO@SSM composite also maintained an excellent photocatalytic activity, and the photocatalytic efficiency for methylene blue degradation reached 90 %. Even in the solution of complex organics and oil, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency was still above 75 %. In addition, LA/Co2+-ZnO@SSM composite membrane also showed a low adhesion, good flexibility and anti-pressure ability. All results indicated that the dual-functional LA/Co2+-ZnO@SSM composite membrane with visible light-driven photocatalysis and oil/water separation performance could be used for practical complex wastewater as a novel purification strategy.

Photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals from water using nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide coated on fiberglass cloth

Caffeine, carbamazepine, and ibuprofen are pharmaceuticals that were frequently found in natural water, and they can pose a potential threat to aquatic organisms even at low concentrations. Visible light-driven photocatalysis is a green technology that can remove pharmaceuticals from water, and the treated water could be useful for other purposes. The recycling of wastewater is a sustainable option for water management. In this study, the photocatalysts were prepared by the binder-free coating of commercial anatase TiO2 and sol-gel-derived nitrogen-doped TiO2 (moles N/Ti of 1–5) on fiberglass clothes (FGC). Nitrogen was found to be interstitially doped into TiO2 and improved the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 under visible light irradiation. The molar ratio of N/Ti for coating on FGC was optimized through the removal of caffeine in a simple batch reactor. 3N–TiO2-coated FGC (N/Ti molar ratio = 3) was optimum photocatalyst. The curtain waterfall reactor was fabricated to efficiently utilize the energy from visible light source. The 3N–TiO2-coated FGC was used in a curtain waterfall reactor to remove caffeine, carbamazepine, and ibuprofen from the water. The removal efficiencies achieved their acceptable levels for reuse within an irradiation time of 14 h. Total organic carbon results confirmed the mineralization of pharmaceuticals. The photocatalyst can be reused for five cycles (12 h for each cycle) with stable performance although it was kept as a roll before use, which indicates the convenience to transport to the place of use, and the potential to further fit in various shapes of the photocatalytic reactor.

Computational studies on functionalized Janus MXenes MM'CT2, (M, M' = Zr, Ti, Hf, M ≠ M'; T = -O, -F, -OH): photoelectronic properties and potential photocatalytic activities.

Motivated by the successful synthesis of Janus monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides (i.e., MoSSe), we computationally investigated the structural, electronic, optical, and transport properties of functionalized Janus MXenes, namely MM'CT2 (M, M' = Zr, Ti, Hf, M ≠ M', T = -O, -F, -OH). The results of the calculations demonstrate that five stable O-terminated Janus MXenes (ZrTiCO2-I, ZrHfCO2-I, ZrHfCO2-III, HfTiCO2-I, and HfTiCO2-III), exhibit modest bandgaps of 1.37-1.94 eV, visible-light absorption (except for ZrHfCO2-I), high carrier mobility, and promising oxidization capability of photoinduced holes. Additionally, their indirect-gap, spatially separated electron-hole pairs, and the dramatic difference between the mobilities of electrons and holes could significantly limit the recombination of photoinduced electron-hole pairs. Our results indicate that the functionalized Janus MXene monolayers are ideal and promising materials for application in visible light-driven photocatalysis.

Cost-effective preparation of layered tantalum oxynitrides for visible light-driven photocatalysis.

Layered oxynitrides are promising materials for visible light photocatalysis. However, the conventional method for the synthesis of oxynitrides using ammonia as a nitrogen source is dangerous. In this work, we successfully synthesized two layered tantalum oxynitrides, K1.35LaTa2O6.65N0.35 and K1.4Ca2Ta3O9.6N0.4, via a topochemical nitridation process using urea as a solid nitrogen source. Employing different characterization methods, we determined the structure and composition of layered oxynitrides. Furthermore, using Pt as a co-catalyst, these two layered oxynitrides showed excellent photocatalytic performances under visible light irradiation. In contrast to ammonia, urea process provides easy access for the synthesis of layered oxynitrides and sheds new light on the design of effective visible light-driven photocatalysts.

Triphenylamine-anthraquinone based donor-acceptor conjugated microporous polymers for photocatalytic hydroxylation of phenylboronic acids.

Triphenylamine-based donor-acceptor conjugated microporous polymers, namely PTPA-AQ and PTPA-AM, were synthesized for the first time via Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of tris(4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)phenyl)-amine as a donor with 2,6-dibromoanthracene-9,10-dione and 2,2'-(2,6-dibromoanthracene-9,10-diylidene)dimalononitrile acceptors for efficient visible-light driven oxidative hydroxylation of various phenylboronic acids. The dimalononitrile derivative having greater acceptor ability showed tunable photophysical properties of PTPA-AM (lower band gap of 1.47 eV and better exciton separation efficiency) as well as porosity (lower Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 43 m2 g-1). PTPA-AQ having higher BET surface area (400 m2 g-1), suitable HOMO-LUMO positions and an optimal band gap (1.94 eV) showed better photocatalytic activity for the hydroxylation with yields up to 96%.

Antibiotic drugs removal by visible light-driven photocatalysis using Pt/Ru nanoparticle-decorated hafnium oxide nanohybrids

Hafnium oxide (HfO2) nanohybrids with metal nanoparticle incorporation were fabricated to develop a prominent photocatalyst for environmental water treatment. The synthesis of ruthenium/platinum nanoparticles-incorporated HfO2 (Ru/HfO2 and Pt/HfO2) was done using a simple hydrothermal technique. The as-synthesized nanohybrids were well characterized; HfO2 had a Nanoleaf morphology, whereas Ru/HfO2 and Pt/HfO2 both had evenly attached Ru and Pt NPs on the surface of HfO2, respectively. These nanohybrids were utilized as a photocatalyst for the degradation of antibiotics nitrofurantoin (NFT) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) in an aqueous solution by leveraging the inherent benefits of metal oxides and metal nanoparticles. Both nanohybrids displayed splendid photocatalytic activity, for instance, Ru/HfO2 exhibited ∼100% degradation of NFT and CIP in 15 and 25 min with rate constants of 0.3280 and 0.1919 min−1, respectively. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism was validated by using reactive species scavenging studies and mass spectrum analysis; the achieved degradation was predominantly governed by the hydroxyl radicals through an oxidation pathway. Moreover, metal nanoparticles play a vital role in trapping photo-excited electrons, which improves catalytic activity. The sustainable nature of nanohybrids was validated by investigating their reusability and practical applicability in real samples analysis. This HfO2-based nanohybrid is anticipated to generate a wide platform for developing imminent materials for use in a variety of environmental remediation applications.

In-situ oxidation selective deposition of tetrahedral Ag3PO4{111} on monoclinic BiVO4{040} with highly efficient visible light-driven photocatalysis and long recycling

Photocatalytic technology utilizing solar energy to eliminate organic pollutants is considered to be a promising and sustainable method. Adopting light-driven and in-situ oxidation methods, tetrahedral Ag3PO4{111} (t-Ag3PO4) was selectively grown on monoclinic BiVO4{040} (m-BiVO4), and then m-BiVO4@t-Ag3PO4 with excellent visible light-driven photocatalytic properties and long recycling was obtained. When the catalyst dosage is 0.50 g/L, the m-BiVO4@t-Ag3PO4 heterojunction photocatalyst could remove 99.9 % of rhodamine B within 30 min under visible light irradiation, and the degradation efficiency after 11 cycles remains 97.2 %. The morphology details and photocatalytic properties were confirmed by SEM, TEM, DSR, PL, PC and EIS. Active species capturing experiments and electron spin resonce measurements show that the superoxide radical (·O2-) and hydroxyl radical (·OH) are the main active species during the photocatalysis process. This work provides a promising method for constructing heterojunction photocatalysts with controllable morphology and visible light persistent catalysis. m-BiVO4@t-Ag3PO4 heterojunction photocatalyst has the advantage of price in the market and good features for application in organic wastewater treatment.