Visible Light Responsive Photocatalyst Research Articles

Synthesis of ternary Polyaniline/Bi2S3/NiFe2O4 nanocomposite: as a magnetic separable, reusable, and visible light-responsive photocatalyst for degradation of indigo carmine dye

Synthesis of ternary Polyaniline/Bi2S3/NiFe2O4 nanocomposite: as a magnetic separable, reusable, and visible light-responsive photocatalyst for degradation of indigo carmine dye

A novel polydopamine-coated bacterial cellulose/g-C3N4 membrane for highly efficient photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

Photocatalytic oxidation emerges as an eco-friendly approach for chemically degrading water-borne organic pollutants. Establishing a more sustainable process for synthesizing photocatalyst membranes with higher efficiency and reusability is crucial for advancing safe water remediation solutions. In this study, we present a novel photocatalytic membrane incorporating bacterial cellulose (BC), a naturally occurring biopolymer with an intricate fibrous network, and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), a visible light-responsive non-metal photocatalyst. The composite membrane is augmented with a coating of polydopamine (PDA), an amorphous polymeric layer derived from dopamine to enhance light absorption and reduce photoexcited charge recombination. The BC/g-C3N4/PDA membrane demonstrates a substantial improvement in methylene blue removal efficiency, up to 95.39 % within 150 min of irradiation. Moreover, the PDA-modified membrane exhibits noteworthy recyclability, retaining significant photodegradation ability for up to three cycles. This method offers an accessible and scalable approach to fabricating a highly effective photocatalyst composite membrane suitable for industrial applications.

Visible light responsive heterophase Titania monoliths for the fast and efficient photocatalytic decontamination of organic pollutants

The article reports the synthesis of an ordered mesoporous network of heterophase TiO2 monoliths as a visible light-responsive photocatalyst using tri-block copolymers of Pluronic F108, P123 and F127 as structure-directing agents (SDAs) and temperature-controlled calcination (450–650 °C) has been carried out by direct templating-assisted hydrothermal approach. The structural/surface morphology and topographical properties of the photocatalyst are characterized using FE-SEM-EDAX, HR-TEM-SAED, p-XRD, VB-XPS, PLS, TG/DTA, UV-Vis-DRS, BET/BJH and zeta potential analysis. The undoped heterophase mesoporous TiO2 monoliths with in-built lattice/surface defects exhibit visible light photocatalytic properties, successfully dissipating Reactive Brown 10 (RB-10) dye. The influence of physicochemical parameters, such as SDAs, temperature, pH, dye concentration, catalyst dosage, photosensitizers and light intensities, are optimized for maximum photocatalytic performance at a shorter timespan. The F127-assisted mesoporous TiO2 monolith (550 °C) exhibits superior degradation kinetics (15 min) for RB-10 dye solution (20 ppm) at pH 2.0–3.0 using a photocatalyst dosage of 50 mg and 2 mM of KBrO3, irradiated with 150 W/cm2 tungsten lamp. The photocatalysts are fabricated without complicated chemical modifications and display topmost efficiency in quickly decontaminating persistent pollutants. The photoproducts from RB-10 photocatalytic degradation are investigated using HR-MS analysis. The photocatalyst can be reused efficiently for six cycles, even under extreme conditions.

Selective conversion of CO2 to CO using blue TiO2 with an r-GO shell and quantitative measurement of excited electrons with four-wave mixing microspectroscopy

The conversion of CO2 into hydrocarbon or syngas (CO) using sunlight can address numerous current environmental issues and future challenges in the energy domain. Although numerous visible light-responsive photocatalysts have been reported, the quantum yield remains limited. Furthermore, analytical tools are yet to be established for quantitatively monitoring the amount of excited electrons, which play a critical role in catalytic reactions. The results of this study revealed that the presence of a reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) shell on blue-TiO2 (b-TiO2) considerably improves the photocatalytic performance in selectively converting CO2 into CO under visible light. The formation of the r-GO shell on b-TiO2 narrowed the b-TiO2 bandgap. Moreover, the r-GO shell increased the absorption of visible light and facilitated electron transfer, resulting in approximately eight times the CO yield from b-TiO2@r-GO compared to that of TiO2. The presence of the r-GO shell improved the photocatalytic stability of b-TiO2. Furthermore, four-wave mixing microspectroscopy was performed to analyze the amount of excited electrons. The results of microscopy revealed the amount of excited electrons in b-TiO2@r-GO was approximately 35 times that of TiO2. These results not only proposed a strategy for increasing the stability and efficiency of TiO2-based photocatalysts but also are useful for evaluating the improvement of photocatalyst materials.

Preparation and performance of self-cleaning synergistic visible light catalytic coatings based on N-CQDs/Bi2WO6 for NO degradation

Due to the intensification of nitric oxide (NO) emissions caused by industrial development, visible light responsive photocatalysts have been selected and applied in building coatings as a new strategy. In this study, N-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs)-Bi2WO6 (NBW) was prepared using an ethylene glycol-assisted solvothermal method. Various techniques, including XRD, FT-IR, SEM, were employed to analyze and characterize NBW. The photocatalytic performance and stability of NBW were evaluated, and the results showed that 52% of NO (Initial concentration: 600 ppb) were oxidized under visible light. NBW was dispersed in an ethyl acetate/polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) suspension and modified by 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTES), to form an easy-to-spray coating referred to as CPFB. Due to the photocatalytic ability of NBW, CPFB oxidized 74% of NO under visible light and reduced the coloring of coating surfaces contaminated with methyl red. The superhydrophobicity of CPFB coating provided the foundation for its self-cleaning ability. In addition, CPFB exhibited hydrophobicity and photocatalytic performance even after tests such as photooxidation, water impact, and wear. Finally, the photocatalytic mechanism of CPFB self-cleaning coating was explored. The significance of CPFB lied in its ability to effectively combine self-cleaning, visible light-responsive photocatalysis, and durability in a single coating. This innovative approach may inspire the development of similar coatings for various applications.

Low-temperature hydrothermal self-assembly synthesis of ZnIn2S4/chitosan-graphene aerogels for enhanced aqueous pollutants removal

A novel visible-light-responsive ZnIn2S4/chitosan graphene aerogel (ZCGA) was prepared using a low-temperature hydrothermal self-assembly method for the adsorption and degradation of tetracycline. Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated interactions between ZnIn2S4 and chitosan graphene aerogel (CGA). Under the irradiation of a 500 W xenon lamp, ZCGA exhibited excellent adsorption and photocatalytic degradation performance for tetracycline, with a removal rate exceeding 90 % within 180 min. This significant performance improvement is attributed to the high carrier transport properties of CGA, which greatly enhanced the activity of the photocatalytic reaction and also showed high efficiency in removing other types of organic pollutants. Radical trapping experiments further confirmed that the superoxide anion (·O2−) is the main active species in the photocatalytic process. In addition, the monolithic aerogel has good recyclability and mechanical stability. This study not only demonstrates the great potential of ZCGA in the field of photocatalysis but also provides new ideas for designing efficient, recyclable, and visible light-responsive photocatalysts.

Fabrication of sulfur doped exfoliated gCN photocatalyst for enhanced visible light degradation of pernicious organic pollutants and their photocatalytic antibacterial activity

The synthesis of sulfur-doped exfoliated graphitic carbon nitride (S-gCN) photocatalyst was achieved by the implementation of a two-step calcination technique. The XRD results revealed that all the fabricated photocatalytic materials were crystalline in nature. The inclusion of 5% sulfur in gCN led to a conspicuous escalation in the surface area of photocatalyst, rising from 10.294 to 61.185 m2g⁻1. Morphological scrutiny of the samples using FE-SEM revealed that pristine gCN exhibited tightly stacked small nanosheets, whereas inclusion of sulfur and exfoliation resulted in generation of loosely distributed large nanosheet. Furthermore, the inclusion of sulfur also induced a shift in the energy band gap (Eg) from 2.81 eV to 2.63 eV, making it felicitous for investigation as proficient visible light photocatalyst. Additionally, the photoluminescence photo-induced charge carrier recombination behavior revealed a reduced peak intensity for 5% S-gCN compared to other synthesized compositions. This observation can be directly linked to the minimized electron-hole pairs recombination during photocatalysis, underscoring its superior photocatalytic performance. Our findings revealed that the 5% S-gCN photocatalyst exhibit the most promising attributes, it degraded Tetracycline drug, Chlorpyrifos pesticide and Eriochrome Black T dye under visible light irradiation almost ∼4 times more efficiently than pristine gCN. Additionally, exceptional visible light photocatalytic antibacterial efficacy was also perceived by 5% S-gCN against S. aureus bacteria. Overall, the present research sheds light on how doping and exfoliation interact to modify the structure and catalytic properties of gCN, paving the way for the development of outstanding performance, visible light-responsive efficient photocatalysts for environmental restoration.

Novel visible-light activated photocatalytic ultrafiltration membrane for simultaneous separation and degradation of emerging contaminants

Emerging contaminants (ECs) in secondary effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have received increasing attention due to their adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health. Herein, visible-light responsive photocatalyst TM (TiO2 @NH2-MIL-101(Fe)) and resultant photocatalytic ultrafiltration (PUF, PVDF/TM) membrane were prepared to remove 32 typical compounds of antibiotics, 296 compounds of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and their corresponding bacterial hosts. The construction of heterojunction photocatalyst promoted the electron transfer from NH2-MIL-101(Fe) to TiO2 and the formation of N-TiO2, enhancing visible-light (λ ≥ 420 nm) photocatalytic activity. With highly-hydrophilic surface and delicately-regulated pore structure, the initial water permeance of optimal PUF membrane significantly increased to 3912.2 L/m2/h at 1.0 bar. Meanwhile, membrane retention (via adsorption, electrostatic interaction, and steric hindrance) was improved due to the narrowed pore size, highly-negative surface charge and abundant functional groups. Additionally, hydroxyl radical (•OH) was the dominant active reactive oxygen species (ROS) for ECs degradation, and the narrowed pore structure could serve as microreactors to increase ROS concentration and reduce migration distance. Consequently, the removal efficiencies of antibiotics, bacteria and ARGs were 86.5 %, 91.4 % and 91.8 %, respectively. Overall, this novel visible-light-activated PUF membrane expands membrane application, and has great potential in ECs treatment.

Attached meso-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin copper (II) to BiOCl for enhanced photocatalytic performance in antibiotics degradation

Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) has been considerably accepted as a photocatalyst due to its excellent photoelectrochemical properties, low cost and corrosion resistance. However, its further application has not progressed due to limited visible-light utilization and quick recombination of photoexcited carriers. In this work, a series of meso-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin copper (II) (CuTCPP) hybridized BiOCl composites (CuTCPP/BiOCl) were synthesized to use as an efficient visible-light responsive photocatalyst for the degradation of antibiotics pollutants in the wastewater systems. The characterization results confirmed that the 2D fusiform-shaped CuTCPP nanosheets were successfully inserted into hierarchical flower-like BiOCl. The photocatalytic degradation of several typical antibiotics (tetracycline, enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin) demonstrated that CuTCPP/BiOCl showed better photocatalytic activities than pure BiOCl. Further, 0.5 wt% CuTCPP/BiOCl manifested the optimal photocatalytic efficiency for decomposing the antibiotics, and its degradation rate constant was about 2.84 times higher than that of pristine BiOCl. The significantly improved photocatalytic performance was mainly due to the promotion of visible light harvesting and enhanced separation of photogenerated carriers after the introduction of the macrocyclic CuTCPP. The radical substances determination confirmed that active •O2−, h+ and •OH existed in the photocatalytic removal of antibiotic, in which •O2− was the main reactive oxidizing species. The excellent degradation efficiency of CuTCPP/BiOCl reveals its great potential as photocatalysts for use in the alleviation of antibiotic contaminants and wastewater purification.

Hybrid manufacturing process for the synthesis of doped TiO2 nanoparticles and optimization to determine an efficient photocatalyst

The hybrid sol-gel method was used to synthesize the transition metals (Cu and Ag) doped TiO2 nanoparticles for achieving enhanced visible light response photocatalysts. Different characterization techniques such as UV–Visible, FESEM, EDS, and TEM were carried out to characterize prepared nanocomposites. The synthesized Cu/TiO2 and Ag/TiO2 photocatalysts exhibit redshifts with improved light absorption capacity compared with pure TiO2. Scanning electron microscopic images show almost spherical morphology with relatively uniform sizes. Photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) and hydrogen production were carried out to estimate the photocatalytic efficiency of synthesized photocatalysts. As a result of increased charge separation efficiency and higher visible light absorption for photoexcitation, the photocatalytic response of the modified photocatalyst was elevated. In this study, the significant factors like initial pH, nitrate concentration, and dopant were identified. These factors were investigated in terms of hydrogen generation as a response to the successful optimization for the determination of the most efficient photocatalyst. In addition, in this work, density functional theory was used to simulate metals (Cu/Ag) doped TiO2 to learn more about the impact of doping on the structural, electrical, and photocatalytic properties of TiO2. Ag/TiO2 nanocomposite prepared via nitrate precursor concentration of 0.9 M and operated at an initial pH value of 4 exhibits maximum hydrogen generation capacity.

S-scheme TiO2/Bi2WO6 heterojunction for enhanced photocatalytic selective oxidation of toluene

Selective activation of saturated C–H bonds in hydrocarbons, such as the activation of the C–H bond in toluene, is an effective method for the production of high value-added chemicals. However, improving the C–H bond activation of toluene remains a challenge. In this study, S-scheme TiO2/Bi2WO6 composites were synthesized by loading TiO2 nanoparticles on Bi2WO6 flakes using a simple hydrothermal method. The physical and chemical properties of the prepared materials were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectoscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and other characterization methods. Selective oxidation of toluene to benzaldehyde under visible light irradiation using air as an oxidizing agent. When the molar ratio of TiO2 and Bi2WO6 was 0.20, the composites exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance with a benzaldehyde production rate of 1725.41 μmol g−1 h−1, which was 2.31 and 1.91 times higher than that of TiO2 and Bi2WO6, respectively. This excellent performance is attributed to the formation of heterojunction structure by the loaded TiO2 nanoparticles, which improves the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers and thus enhances its photocatalytic performance. In addition, the active substances involved in the photocatalytic reaction were identified by free radical trapping experiments as ·O2− and h+. Finally, the photocatalytic mechanism of S-scheme TiO2/Bi2WO6 composites was proposed by energy band structure analysis and radical trapping experiments. This study provides a simple design pathway for the construction of visible-light responsive bismuth tungstate-based heterojunction photocatalysts and some ideas for the development of new and efficient photocatalytic toluene selective oxidation catalysts.

Facile construction of copper-doped metal organic framework as a novel visible light-responsive photocatalyst for contaminant degradation

ABSTRACT Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with photocatalytic activity have garnered significant attentions in environmental remediation. Herein, copper-doped zeolitic imidazolate framework-7 (Cu-doped ZIF-7) was synthesized rapidly and easily using a microwave-assisted technique. Various analytical and spectroscopic methods were employed to access the framework, morphology, light absorption, photo-electrochemical and photocatalytic performance of the synthesized materials. Compared to ZIF-7, Cu/ZIF-7 (molar ratio of Cu2+ to Zn2+ is 1:1) demonstrates superior visible light absorption ability, narrower band gap, enhanced charge separation capability, and reduced electron–hole recombination performance. Under visible light irradiation, Cu/ZIF-7 serves as a Fenton-like catalyst and demonstrates exceptional activity for contaminant degradation, while virgin ZIF-7 remains inactive. With the addition of 9.8 mmol H2O2 and exposure to visible light for 30 min, 10 mg of Cu/ZIF-7 can completely decompose RhB solution (10 mg/L, 50 mL). The synergistic effect of the Cu/ZIF-7/H2O2/visible light system is attributed to visible light photocatalysis and Fenton-like reactions. Cu/ZIF-7 demonstrates excellent catalytic performance stability, with only a slight decrease in degradation efficiency from an initial 97.0% to 95.4% over four cycles. Additionally, spin-trapping ESR measurements and active species trapping experiments revealed that h+ and ·OH occupied a significant position for Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation. Degradation intermediate products of Rhodamine B have been identified using UPLC-MS, and the degradation pathways have been proposed and discussed. This work offers a facile and efficient technique for developing MOF-based visible light photocatalysts for water purification.

Designed Nanoarchitectures of a BiOBr/BiOI Nanosheet Heterojunction Anchored on Dendritic Fibrous Nanosilica as Visible-Light Responsive Photocatalysts.

Heterojunctions, particularly those involving BiOBr/BiOI, have attracted significant attention in the field of photocatalysis due to their remarkable properties. In this study, a unique architecture of BiOBr/BiOI was designed to facilitate the rapid transfer of electrons and holes, effectively mitigating the recombination of electron-hole pairs. Accordingly, the BiOBr/BiOI nanosheet heterojunction was anchored on dendritic fibrous nanosilica (DFNS) by the immobilization of Bi2O3 nanodots in DFNS and the subsequent reaction with HBr and then HI vapors at room temperature. The 4 nm-Bi2O3 nanodots acted as a sacrificial template to form BiOX nanosheets by reaction with HX vapors (X = Br, I). The BiOBr/BiOI nanosheet heterojunction with the lateral size remained in the range of 90 to 110 nm and a thickness of 15 nm formed on DFNS, where the BiOBr:BiOI ratio in the product was controlled by the exposure time to HX vapors. The reaction sequence (HBr → HI vapors) was a key for the formation of BiOBr/BiOI nanosheet heterojunction with controlled composition. When the reaction of Bi2O3 nanodots with HI vapor was performed in the reverse sequence (HI→ HBr), the substitution of I- with Br- occurred to form BiOBr sheets on DFNS. The BiOBr/BiOI nanosheet heterojunction anchored on DFNS was used as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst for the decomposition of benzene in water under solar light, and its activity was superior to that of single BiOX nanosheets on DFNS.

The Development of Visible-Light Organic Photocatalysts for Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization via Conjugation Extension.

This work aimed to develop organic photocatalysts (PCs) that could mediate organocatalytic atom transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP) under visible light. Through the core-modification of known chromophoric structures and ring-locking to reach a conjugation extension, annulated N-aryl benzo[kl]acridines were identified as effective visible light-responsive photocatalysts. The corresponding selenium-doped structure showed excellent performance in the O-ATRP of methacrylates, which could afford polymer products with controlled molecular weights and low dispersities under the irradiation of visible light at a 100 ppm catalyst loading.

Synthesis of a novel cost-effective double-ligand Zr-based MOF via an inverted modulator strategy towards enhanced adsorption and photodegradation of tetracycline

Developing visible-light response photocatalysts with high activity and adsorption alongside sustainability is vitally important to environmental restoration. Here, we fabricated a novel metal organic framework (MOF) with cost-effective double-ligands (fumaric acid and 2-aminoterephthalic acid as ligand precursors, denoted as MA-MOF) via a facile solvothermal method. Specifically, crystalline [Zr6O4(OH)4(fumarate)6] (MOF-801) can be only formed with monocarboxylic acids as modulators. Therefore, in the construction of crystalline double-ligand MA-MOF, the absence of monocarboxylic acid modulators successfully prevents the formation of crystalline MOF-801. Instead, the crystalline double-ligand MA-MOF is formed. Properties of MA-MOFs including the surface area, porosity, charge transfer resistance, and energy level position can be adjusted via altering the ratio of ligands. The optimal sample, MA-MOF2 (prepared with a molar ratio of fumaric acid and 2-aminoterephthalic acid being 2:1), shows a total 94.6% removal of tetracycline via adsorption and photodegradation, far exceeding the corresponding single-ligand counterparts. This work proposes an innovative inverted modulator strategy for constructing double-ligand MOFs.

Oxygen-deficient WO3 for stable visible-light photocatalytic degradation of acetaldehyde within a wide humidity range

Indoor VOCs pollution has attracted broad attention for its harm to mankind’s health recent years. Photocatalytic degradation of indoor VOCs holds great prospects in addressing these health concerns in daily life. However, traditional photocatalysts have a large recombination rate of charge carriers and a decrease of the photocatalytic degradation efficiency under high relative humidity. Herein, uniform tungsten oxide nanoparticles with enriched oxygen vacancies (WO3-U) were synthesized by a direct annealing method with urea addition, which exhibited superior performance in the visible-light photocatalysis. The reaction rate constant value of photocatalytic acetaldehyde degradation over WO3-U catalyst was above 3 times higher than that of pristine WO3 sample. More importantly, the WO3-U catalyst maintained stable and excellent photocatalytic performance at relative humidity range of 25–100 %. Except for the enhanced photogenerated charges separation, abundant oxygen vacancies could effectively accelerate O2 activation to generate •O2−, which accounted mainly for the initial conversion of acetaldehyde. Then the subsequent transformation of •O2− into •OH to promoted the final mineralization of acetaldehyde. In addition, the presence of oxygen vacancies also facilitated H2O dissociation to form surface hydroxyl groups, which increased the adsorption of acetaldehyde, resulting in the consistent photocatalytic performance of WO3-U catalyst within a wide humidity range. This work provides guidelines to design visible-light responsive photocatalysts with efficient activity at high humidity conditions for indoor VOCs degradation.

Earthworm excrete derived-enzyme enriched SnO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite for near complete decomposition of toxic dye molecules

Enzymes derived from earthworm (Eudrilus eugeniae) excretes (vermiwash) were used as supporting bio-catalysts with SnO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposites for photocatalytic dye degradation of toxic organic dyes. The results were compared to those of the composite partners SnO2 and g-C3N4. The enzyme supported nanocomposite has superior photocatalytic efficiency of 95 %, 93 %, 83 % and 97 % against the test dyes Methylene Blue (MB), Malachite Green (MG), Methyl Orange (MO) and Rose Bengal (RB) whereas the partners SnO2 (62 %, 81 %, 36 % & 73 %) and g-C3N4 (76 %, 84 %, 80 % & 89 %) exhibited lower efficiencies. The enzymes phosphatase, amylase, urease and protease present in the synthesized nanocomposite play supporting role as co-catalyst in enhancing the photocatalytic ability of the nanocomposite. The mechanism involving the charge carrier recombination delay due to the formation of g-C3N4 sheets beneath the SnO2 particles is illustrated. The partnering mechanism with g-C3N4 having lower bandgap (2.8 eV) leads to a reduction in the bandgap from 3.5 eV for SnO2 to 2.6 eV for the nanocomposite making the nanocomposite as visible light responsive photocatalyst. The XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, UV–vis–NIR, XPS and DFT results support the discussion on photocatalytic mechanism. The near complete dye degradation is confirmed by phenotypic test on earthworm (Eudrilus eugeniae).

Direct Z-scheme charge transfer Bi2O3/UiO-66-NH2 heterojunctions for boosted photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride in different water systems

The development of hybrid heterostructure photocatalysts with enhanced visible light absorption capacity holds significant importance in environmental remediation. However, the challenge persists in exploiting strong visible-light responsive photocatalysts with both high efficiency and stability. Herein, we successfully synthesized a hybrid Z-scheme heterojunction of Bi2O3 and UiO-66-NH2 (Bi2O3/UiO-66-NH2) through a simple hydrothermal route. The visible light photocatalytic performance of Z-scheme Bi2O3/UiO-66-NH2 heterojunction is systematically evaluated for persistent antibiotic tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) both in the clean and real water matrix. All heterojunction catalysts exhibit superior photodegradation capabilities compared to pristine Bi2O3 and UiO-66-NH2. The optimal ratio of the two components heterojunction (BUN-150), in particular, demonstrates the highest removal efficiencies for TC-HCl (95 %) within a 90-min timeframe. This remarkable photocatalytic performance is credited to the Z-scheme charge transfer occurring at the interface of Bi2O3 and UiO-66-NH2 in Bi2O3/UiO-66-NH2 heterojunction. The active species experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance analyses are conducted to identify the active reactive species during the TC-HCl degradation (·OH, h+, and ·O2−), and a precise photocatalytic degradation mechanism is explained. Additionally, the photodegradation intermediates of TC-HCl are detected using the HPLC-MS analysis to explain the degradation pathways of TC-HCl. This research paves the way for the development of novel Z-scheme Bi2O3-based heterojunction catalysts for outstanding photocatalytic applications.

One-pot vanadium-based organic frameworks for DEHP effective removal: Relationships between the synthetic strategy, characterization, adsorption and solar-driven photocatalytic activity

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising photocatalysts, yet the incorporation of vanadium into MOFs is prospective to achieve broad visible-light response, functionalized and topography-selective photocatalysts. Herein, we developed a series of self-assembly and template-free vanadium-based frameworks (V-MOFs) via a one-pot synthesis method accelerating the efficient adsorption and solar-driven photocatalytic degradation of DEHP, where V ions were immobilized by -COO groups to form various favorable configurations and the monodispersed transient V3+/V4+/V5+ centers served as active sites facilitating the separation of photogenerated charges. The advantageous photoelectron leaping capability, electron-hole lifetime and catalytic active sites of the synthesized V-MOFs were verified. The Mantel test analysis was applied to obtain the optimal synthetic route by exploring the correlation among the synthesis factors, V-MOFs’ characterization, and DEHP adsorption-degradation properties, the resultant V1-BDA@ and V1-H3BTB@ exhibited outstanding photocatalytic degradation and adsorption performances with a total DEHP (20 ppm) removal rate of 98 % in 240 min. The effective attack sites on DEHP were explained by Fukui function, and the photocatalytic degradation pathway of DEHP by V1-H3BTB@ was furtherly revealed.

Influence of substrate temperature on the structural, morphological, and photoelectric properties of Bi2WO6 thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering

The effect of substrate temperature (Ts) increasing from RT (room temperature) to 600 °C on the structural, morphological, optical and photoelectrochemical properties of BixWO6 (1.98≤x ≤ 2.84) thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering has been investigated by various techniques including XRD, EDS, SEM, AFM, XPS, UV–vis DRS, PL and EIS. AFM and EDS show that as Ts increases, the Bi/W atomic ratio gradually decreases; the amorphous BixWO6 thin films grown under 300 °C had a very smooth surface with an RRMS value in the range of 0.5–0.8 nm. However, as the substrate temperature increases from 400 to 600 °C, for the crystalline BiWO6 thin films the RRMS value increases to a range of 18.3–30.5 nm and there is a transition of the crystalline orientation from {131} to {200} as confirmed by XRD. The films grown at Ts = 600 °C exhibit some favorable properties such as a Bi/W ratio close to 2:1, lattice expansion relaxation, low Eg and excellent photoelectric reproducibility which is about 3–29 times higher than that of other films grown at low Ts (300–500 °C). PL and EIS analysis as well as photoelectrochemical test results demonstrated the enhanced separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and charge transfer for the stoichiometric and well-crystallized BixWO6 thin films, showing their good potential for practical applications such as visible light responsive photocatalyst or photoelectrode.