Magnetically separable composite photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic activity

A novel magnetically separable composite photocatalyst, anatase titania-coated magnetic activated carbon (TMAC), was prepared in this article. In the synthesis, magnetic activated carbon (MAC) was firstly obtained by adsorbing magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles onto the activated carbon (AC), and then the obtained MAC was directly coated by anatase titania nanoparticles prepared at low temperature (i.e. 75 °C). The prepared samples were characterized by XRD, SEM and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The composite photocatalyst can be easily separated from solution by a magnet, its photocatalytic activity in degradation of phenol in aqueous solution also has dramatic enhancement compared to that of the neat titania.     

Green synthesis of bentonite/cellulose@lead oxide bio-nanocomposite with assistance of Pistacia Atlantica extract for efficient photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin

In this study, a novel bentonite/cellulose@lead oxide (BT-CL-PbO) bio-nanocomposite was synthesized via a green route. For this proposal, the extracted cellulose from barley waste and natural bentonite were bonded together by covalent bonding, and finally the biosynthesized lead oxide nanoparticles were immobilized on them. Then, due to the destructive impacts of antibiotic contaminants on the environment and ecosystem, the catalytic activity of nanocomposite was investigated for the photodegradation of ciprofloxacin. The BT-CL-PbO exhibited excellent catalytic activity over CIP degradation under sunlight. Effect of initial pH, ciprofloxacin concentration, BT-CL-PbO dosage, and the existence of anions on photocatalytic activity was studied. The photodegradation process of CIP fitted the pseudo-first-order kinetic model, and the rate constants in the presence of BT-CL-PbO reached 0.1309 min^?1, which was about 2.3 times higher than that of bare PbO nanoparticles. The scavenging experiments confirmed that photoexcited holes (h⁺) played the prominent role in the photodegradation of CIP. The BT-CL-PbO showed high stability and reusability after three cycles of photodegradation. The obtained results found that the BT-CL-PbO is a cost-effective and recyclable photocatalyst for the photodegradation of CIP and can be used for the treatment of other pharmaceutical contaminants.     

Novel continuous single-step synthesis of nitrogen-modified TiO2 by flame spray pyrolysis for photocatalytic degradation of phenol in visible light

A novel rapid and continuous process has developed for the synthesis of nitrogen-doped TiO₂ (N-TiO₂) with flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) method. The nitrogen incorporation into TiO₂ was achieved by a facile modification (addition of dilute nitric acid) in the precursor for the synthesis. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The doping of nitrogen into the TiO₂ was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The UV–vis spectra of the modified catalysts (with primary N source) exhibited band-gap narrowing for 4N-TiO₂ with band gap energy of 2.89 eV, which may be due to the presence of nitrogen in TiO₂ structure. The introduction of secondary N-source (urea) into TiO₂ crystal lattice results in additional reduction of the band gap energy to 2.68 eV and shows a significant improvement of visible light absorption. The N-TiO₂ nanoparticles modified by using secondary N-source showed significant photocatalytic activity under visible light much higher than TiO₂. The higher activity is attributed to the synergetic interaction of nitrogen with the TiO₂ lattice. The lowering of the band-gap energy for the flame made N-doped TiO₂ materials implies that the nitrogen doping in TiO₂ by aerosol method is highly effective in extending the optical response of TiO₂ in the visible region. The nitrogen atomic percentage has increased monotonically (0.09%–0.15%) with the increase in primary nitrogen source (nitric acid), and significantly boosted to 0.97% when secondary nitrogen source (urea) was introduced. The highest rate of phenol degradation was obtained for catalysts with secondary N source due to increase in N content in the catalyst.     

纳米TiO2/聚氨酯复合涂层的光催化活性研究

用纳米二氧化钛浓缩浆制成了纳米TiO2／聚氨酯复合涂料。纳米TiO2／聚氨酯复合涂层的TEM观察和光催化实验表明,这种复合涂层中的纳米粒子分散均匀,无团聚体,并且具有良好的光催化活性。随着颜基比的增大,复合涂层的反应速率常数增大,光催化活性提高。在二氧化钛粒径不大于250nm时,复合涂层的反应速率常数和光催化活性在二氧化钛粒径为100nm处有一最大值。     

Facile synthesis of strontium molybdate coupled g-C3N4 composite for effective tetracycline and dyes degradation under visible light

This work was designed to synthesize SrMoO₄/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction for efficient degradation of tetracycline (TC) hydrochloride via photocatalysis. SrMoO₄/g-C₃N₄ samples were prepared through a grinding and roasting process. The prepared nanocomposite exhibited excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity. The reaction rate of TC photodegradation reaches 0.0171 min^?1, which is 5.9 times higher than that of neat g-C₃N₄. The origin of the high photoactivity of SrMoO₄/g-C₃N₄ was investigated using a variety of characterization techniques including XRD, FT-IR, TG, SEM, TEM, XPS, DRS, Mott-Schottky, PL, PC, and EIS. Result showed that the added SrMoO₄ was closely loaded on the g-C₃N₄ surface, which is conducive to the electron transfer between SrMoO₄ and g-C₃N₄. Mott-Schottky analysis indicated that SrMoO₄ has a lower conduction band (CB) position than g-C₃N₄. As a result, photogenerated electrons in g-C₃N₄ can move to the CB of SrMoO₄ to hinder the recombination of charge carriers, thereby increasing the photocatalytic activity under visible light. The cycling test further suggested that the SrMoO₄/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction has good stability in the photocatalytic degradation of TC. Super oxygen radicals and holes are the main reactive species.     

Facile synthesis of multi-shelled AgI/ZnO composite as Z-scheme photocatalyst for efficient ciprofloxacin degradation and H2 production

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - Overcoming defects through effective modification methods have become the main method for material performance optimization. In this paper,...     

高效光催化降解气相苯纳米TiO2微球的制备EI北大核心CSCD

以四氯化钛为钛源,尿素为沉淀剂前驱物,硫酸钠为分散剂,利用水热法在水-醇体系中制备出纳米TiO2微球。运用X射线衍射、电子显微镜、N2吸附-脱附和紫外-可见光谱等手段表征样品的结构和性质,并考察了水热温度对纳米TiO2微球结构及光催化降解气相苯活性的影响。结果表明,此类微球由纳米颗粒组成,且比表面积大,介孔结构明显,光吸收出现明显的“蓝移”。光催化结果显示,微球具有很高的光催化活性,尤其是180℃下制备的微球仅用20min将苯完全去除,但生成CO2的量仍随时间有所增加,表明微球的强吸附性能促进其光催化降解过程,且矿化率高达5.5,是P25(2.7)的2倍。     

Preparation of Z-scheme Au-Ag2S/Bi2O3 composite by selective deposition method and its improved photocatalytic degradation and reduction activity

In this work, Z-scheme Ag₂S/Bi₂O₃ composites were fabricated through the precipitation of Ag₂S nanoplates on the surface of Bi₂O₃ microrods. Consequently, Au nanoparticles were selectively deposited on the Ag₂S nanoplates surface to obtain.Au-Ag₂S/Bi₂O₃ composites using near-infrared light photodeposition method. The characterization results indicate that the Ag₂S nanoplates were uniformly anchored on Bi₂O₃ surface, and Au nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the surface of Ag₂S nanoplate instead of Bi₂O₃. Acid orange 7 (AO7), Rhodamine B (RhB) and Cr(VI) were chosen as model reactant for the evaluation of photocatalytic degradation and reduction activity of the products under simulated sunlight irradiation. After the decoration of Ag₂S nanoplates, the photocatalytic activity of Ag₂S/Bi₂O₃ is much higher than that of bare Bi₂O₃, and the optimal catalytic efficiency is achieved by 12 %Ag₂S/Bi₂O₃ sample. More importantly, the photocatalytic activity of 12 %Ag₂S/Bi₂O₃ sample can be further enhanced by the selective decoration Au nanoparticles on the Ag₂S nanoplates. Among the ternary composites, 2Au-12 %Ag₂S/Bi₂O₃ sample with the Au content of 2% exhibits highest catalytic efficiency for 60 min (AO7: 96%; RhB: 56%; Cr(VI): 65%). The possible mechanism for the improvement of the photocatalytic activity of Bi₂O₃ by Ag₂S and Au decoration was proposed.     

Facile preparation of Ce-doped TiO2/diatomite granular composite with enhanced photocatalytic activity

Granule-shaped Ce-doped TiO₂/diatomite (GCTD) hybrid was prepared via sol-gel method. The physicochemical properties of this hybrid were characterized by various analytical methods. As carrier, diatomite was conducive to the dispersion of TiO₂ nanoparticles, hindering their agglomeration process. Compared to TiO₂, GCTD showed visible-light-driven photoactivity, which was evaluated by the degradation of oxytetracycline (OTC) and disinfection of three bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia) under visible light. The porous diatomite enhanced the photoactivity of TiO₂ via the adsorption towards target pollutants. The reusability experiment was conducted for 5 times, and the results showed that GCTD exhibited good photo-stability and reusability.     

Preparation of Fe2O3/Al composite powders by homogeneous precipitation method

The Fe₂O₃/Al composite powders were prepared by homogeneous precipitation method. The influence of the concentration of Fe²⁺ and the molar ratio of raw materials on the preparation of Fe₂O₃/Al composite powders were investigated. X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential thermal analysis were used to analyze the morphology and structure of the Fe₂O₃/Al composite powders. The results show that the content of iron oxide in the composite powders could be effectively controlled by adjusting the concentration of Fe²⁺ and the molar ratio of raw materials in the plating solution. The surface of Al particle was coated with a layer of thick and dense iron oxide. The core-shell Fe₂O₃/Al composite powders with Fe₂O₃ content of 14.1% were produced, the coating efficiency of Fe₂O₃ reaches more than 77%. The iron oxide, which coated on the surface of the aluminium particle is flower-like cluster structure, each flower-like cluster is constituted by nano-flaky iron oxide.     

Enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity in AgI/BiOCOOH composite

AgI/BiOCOOH composite photocatalysts have been synthesized via a simple deposition-precipitation method. The crystal structure, microstructure, element valance, light and electrical properties of as prepared samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, UV–Vis DRS, PL, EIS and photocurrent response. The loading of AgI nanoparticles endowed BiOCOOH with good visible light absorption and photocatalytic activity for degrading rhodamine B. The composition with Ag:Bi?=?1:1 exhibited the best photocatalytic activity. The enhanced photocatalytic performance could be mainly attributed to the effective separation of the photogenerated carriers at the heterojunction. O^2? and h⁺ were suggested as the main reactive species in the photocatalytic reaction. In addition, the photocatalysts showed excellent stability over multiple reaction cycles.     

Photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol

Contamination of the food supply from agricultural waste is an increasing concern worldwide. Numerous hazardous chemicals enter the environment from various industrial sources daily. Many of these pollutants, including 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP), are water soluble, toxic, and not easily biodegradable. The solar photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-DNP was investigated in a solution of titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) that was prepared to be an optically clear aqueous solution of nanosized particles of TiO(2). In order to achieve optimal efficiency of the photodegradation, the effects of light intensity and pH were conducted. All experiments were carried out in a batch mode. At a pH of 8, maximum removal of 70% of 2,4-DNP was achieved within 7h of irradiation time. The nearly homogeneous solution of 5.8nm TiO(2) particles, size determined by XDS, were very effective in the photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-DNP.     

TiO2 films organofunctionalized with 2-aminothiazole ligand and adsorbed Pd(II) ions applied in the photocatalytic degradation of phenol in an aqueous medium

This paper describes the preparation of thin titanium films via sol-gel route and their subsequent chemical modification by anchoring with 2-aminothiazole ligand and Pd(II) ion sorption, aiming to maximize the photocatalytic activity. The material was characterized by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, ultraviolet and visible spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry, and scanning electronic microscopy. The amount of palladium adsorbed on the film's surface, determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, showed a value of 2.69 × 10¹⁶ atoms cm^− 2. The photocatalytic tests indicated that the functionalization with 2-aminothiazole and the adsorption of palladium (II) were determinants in the semiconductor's enhanced photocatalytic activity.     

Electrochemical degradation of phenol using electrodes of Ti/RuO(2)-Pt and Ti/IrO(2)-Pt

Electrochemical degradation of phenol was evaluated at two typical anodes, Ti/RuO(2)-Pt and Ti/IrO(2)-Pt, for being a treatment method in toxic aromatic compounds. The influences of current density, dosage of NaCl, initial phenol concentration on electrochemical phenol degradation were investigated. It was found that Ti/RuO(2)-Pt anode had a higher oxygen evolution potential than Ti/IrO(2)-Pt anode, which will increase the current efficiency for electrochemical degradation, and the instantaneous current efficiency (ICE) was relatively higher at the initial time during phenol electrolysis. HOCl formed during electrolysis would play an important role on the oxidation of phenol. For the Ti/RuO(2)-Pt anode, phenol concentration decreased from around 8mg/L to zero after 30min of electrolysis with 0.3g/L NaCl as supporting electrolyte at the current density of 10mA/cm(2). Although phenol could be completely electrochemical degraded at both Ti/RuO(2)-Pt and Ti/IrO(2)-Pt anodes, phenol degradation was slower at the Ti/IrO(2)-Pt anode than at the Ti/RuO(2)-Pt anode due to the fact that passivation was to be found at the Ti/IrO(2)-Pt anode.     

表面疏水性纳米TiO2颗粒的制备及光催化性能

在70℃水解钛酸四丁酯(TBOT)时加入十二烷基硫酸钠(SDS),无需热处理就能得到准球形锐钛矿结构的纳米TiO2.这种TiO2粉具有强疏水性,漂浮于水溶液的表面,可通过过滤手段与溶液分离.应用透射电子显微镜和X射线衍射仪对TiO2粉进行了形貌观察和晶体结构的测定.研究了反应体系pH值的变化对TiO2粉结构的影响.FT-IR光谱证明在酸性条件下SDS分子吸附于TiO2颗粒的表面.颗粒尺寸增大引起Rama峰、紫外吸收峰的红移,表现出量子尺寸效应.在对罗丹明B的光催化降解反应中,表面吸附SDS的TiO2粉显示出很强的光催化活性,在50 min内催化降解了100%罗丹明B.     

Plasma assisted degradation of phenol solutions

Solutions of 2-chlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol and 2,6-dichlorophenol in bidistilled and water from the river Danube were treated in plasma reactor. In this reactor, based on coaxial dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure, plasma is formed over a thin layer of treated water. After one pass through the reactor, starting chlorophenols concentration of 20 mg/l was diminished up to 95%. Kinetics of the chlorophenols degradation was monitored by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography method (HPLC).     

Facile synthesis of Ag/ZnO microstructures with enhanced photocatalytic activity

In this paper, we developed a facile low-temperature solution route to prepare radical-shaped ZnO microprisms and to deposit metal silver on the surface of ZnO to form Ag/ZnO microstructures. The samples were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Experimental results show that the deposition of metal Ag nanospecies can be achieved successfully by simply aging the solution at 75 °C, and the radical-shaped microstructures of ZnO are well maintained. The Ag/ZnO microstructures exhibit much lower PL emission intensity and much higher photocatalytic activity than those of radical-shaped ZnO microprisms.     

Tuning and controlling photocatalytic performance of TiO2/kaolinite composite towards ciprofloxacin: Role of 0D/2D structural assembly

Lamellar kaolinite supported monodispersed TiO₂ was prepared through rational design and 0D/2D structural assembly, which showed significantly improved photocatalytic performance towards ciprofloxacin. After systematic evaluation, the pseudo-first-order kinetic constant rate of TiO₂/kaolinite composite can reach to 0.04549 min⁻¹, which was 6.90 and 1.81 times higher than that of pure TiO₂ and P25, respectively. The nano-TiO₂/kaolinite composite photocatalyst also displayed good reusability performance, only a slight decline occurred after four repeated experiments, which is beneficial for the large-scale application of photocatalysts. Various characterizations indicated that enhanced photocatalytic performance can be ascribed to the synergistic effect between natural kaolinite and the well distributed TiO₂, which enhanced the light absorption ability, assisted the dispersion of pure TiO₂, resulted in co-catalysis effect, improved the separation facilitation of photo-induced carriers and promoted the stronger adsorption capacity, etc. These merits effectively regulated the carriers’ lifetime and migration velocity of the photogenerated charge carriers. Considering the excellent properties of natural kaolinite (low cost, abundance, stability, etc.), our study provides a promising candidate for effective degradation of trace amounts of pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP) or contaminants with potential high-toxic risk.