Preparation of Ag-sensitized ZnO and its photocatalytic performance under simulated solar light

ZnO was prepared rapidly by microwave heating method. The results of scanning electron microscopy show that the leaflike ZnO is composed of self-assembled ZnO particles of 30–50 nm. Ag-sensitized ZnO composite was prepared by UV-photoreduction and glycol reduction, respectively. The composite was characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence. The ZnO and Ag/ZnO prepared were applied in photocatalytic degradation of phenol and methyl orange as model of organic pollutant in water under simulated solar light. The results show that Ag doping in both methods of UV-photoreduction and glycol reduction can remarkably improve the photocatalytic activity of ZnO under simulated solar light. The utilization ratio of Ag in glycol reduction is high and the optimum content of Ag in Ag/ZnO composite is only 1.33%. Therefore, the glycol reduction is a novel and excellent method for preparing Ag-sensitized ZnO composite with high photocatalytic activity.     

Preparation and photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4/TiO2 heterojunctions under solar light illumination

The solar light sensitive g-C₃N₄/TiO₂ heterojunction photocatalysts containing 20, 50, 80, and 90 wt% graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) were prepared by growing Titania (TiO₂) nanoparticles on the surfaces of g-C₃N₄ particles via one step hydrothermal process. The hydrothermal reactions were allowed to take place at 110 °C at autogenous pressure for 1 h. Raman spectroscopy analyses confirmed that an interface developed between the surfaces of TiO₂ and g-C₃N₄ nanoparticles. The photocatalyst containing 80 wt% g-C₃N₄ was subsequently heat treated 1 h at temperatures between 350 and 500 °C to improve the photocatalytic efficiency. Structural and optical properties of the prepared g-C₃N₄/TiO₂ heterojunction nanocomposites were compared with those of the pristine TiO₂ and pristine g-C₃N₄ powders. Photocatalytic activity of all the nanocomposites and the pristine TiO₂ and g-C₃N₄ powders were assessed by the Methylene Blue (MB) degradation test under solar light illumination. g-C₃N₄/TiO₂ heterojunction photocatalysts exhibited better photocatalytic activity for the degradation of MB than both pristine TiO₂ and g-C₃N₄. The photocatalytic efficiency of the g-C₃N₄/TiO₂ heterojunction photocatalyst heat treated at 400 °C for 1 h is 1.45 times better than that of the pristine TiO₂ powder, 2.20 times better than that of the pristine g-C₃N₄ powder, and 1.24 times better than that of the commercially available TiO₂ powder (Degussa P25). The improvement in photocatalytic efficiency was related to i) the generation of reactive oxidation species induced by photogenerated electrons, ii) the reduced recombination rate for electron-hole pairs, and iii) large specific surface area.     

A unique Cu2O/TiO2 nanocomposite with enhanced photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation

A unique Cu₂O/TiO₂ nanocomposite with high photocatalytic activity was synthesized via a two-step chemical solution method and used for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dye. The structure, morphology, composition, optical and photocatalytic properties of the as-prepared samples were investigated in detail. The results suggested that the Cu₂O/TiO₂ nanocomposite is composed of hierarchical TiO₂ hollow microstructure coated by a great many Cu₂O nanoparticles. The photocatalytic performance of Cu₂O/TiO₂ nanocomposite was evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light, and compared with those of the pure TiO₂ and Cu₂O photocatalysts synthesized by the identical synthetic route. Within 120 min of reaction time, nearly 100% decolorization efficiency of MB was achieved by Cu₂O/TiO₂ photocatalyst, which is much higher than that of pure TiO₂ (26%) or Cu₂O (32%). The outstanding photocatalytic efficiency was mainly ascribed to the unique architecture, the extended photoresponse range and efficient separation of the electron-hole pairs in the Cu₂O/TiO₂ heterojunction. In addition, the Cu₂O/TiO₂ nanocomposite also retains good cycling stability in the photodegradation of MB.     

Facile fabrication of efficient Pr2Ce2O7 ceramic nanostructure for enhanced photocatalytic performances under solar light

The design and synthesis of high-performance catalytic compounds for the decomposition and removal of wastewater containing hazardous contaminants are substantial for water remediation. Here, we report the efficient preparation of A₂Ce₂O₇ (A = Bi, Dy, and Pr) nanostructures and cerium dioxide nanoparticles utilizing barberry extract as an environmentally friendly reactant and their application as natural-based nanocatalysts to decompose and eliminate hazardous contaminants in an aqueous medium. The features of the produced oxide nanostructures were checked utilizing various techniques. The activity of the fabricated photocatalytic nanostructures was evaluated in the decomposition of Acid Red 14 contaminants under visible light. The outcomes revealed that the kind of trivalent element introduced meaningfully affects the dimension, architecture, optical properties, porosity, and catalytic performance of the ceria sample. Compared to other nanocatalysts, porous Pr₂Ce₂O₇ nanostructures exhibited enhanced photodegradation yield for decomposing Acid Red 14 (99.2%). The porous Pr₂Ce₂O₇ sample also demonstrated stable performance after ten cycles. Photo-generated holes and hydroxyls are the leading species accounting for Acid Red 14 decomposition. Furthermore, the decomposition kinetics of Acid Red 14 followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics.     

Effect of graphene thickness on the morphology evolution of hierarchical NiCoO2 architectures and their superior supercapacitance performance

The rational design of electrode materials with special hierarchical architectures which possess both high surface area and conductivity is significant to enhance the performance of supercapacitors. Herein, hierarchical NiCoO₂ architectures assembled by ultrathin mesoporous nanosheets are in-situ grown on graphene@Ni foam (G@NF) by a template-free solvothermal route and subsequent annealing process, which is used as self-supported and binder-free supercapacitor electrodes. The effect of graphene thickness on morphology evolution of NiCoO₂ is investigated. Benefiting from the synergistic effect between graphene with remarkable conductivity and hierarchical NiCoO₂ architectures with high specific capacity, the NiCoO₂/G@NF electrodes show greatly improved electrochemical performance compared to NiCoO₂@NF and G@NF. The optimized NiCoO₂/G@NF has a specific capacitance of 1220 F/g at 1 A/g. While the NiCoO₂@NF and G@NF are only 565 and 151 F/g, respectively. The optimized NiCoO₂/G@NF remains 840 F/g at 20 A/g, revealing a remarkable rate performance (69% capacity retention from 1 to 20 A/g). Moreover, an outstanding cyclic stability of 80% capacitance retention can be obtained after 5000 charge/discharge cycles at 10 A/g, whereas the NiCoO₂@NF is only 46.5%. These results suggest that the hierarchical NiCoO₂ architectures/graphene hybrids are good candidates as effective electrode materials for supercapacitors.     

Facile fabrication of ordered assembled TiO2/g-C3N4 nanosheets with enhanced photocatalytic activity

A series of assembled porous TiO₂/g-C₃N₄ (TC) powders composed of spherical nanoparticles were synthesized by controlling the molar ratio of urea to tetrabutyl titanate (TBOT) in a facile hydrothermal process. A nanosheets-constructed hierarchical structure was obtained at the molar ratio of urea to TBOT of 10:1, which possessed uniform mesopores with bimodal distribution (0.5–1.5 nm and 2–20 nm) and interconnected macropores between TC nanosheets. The specific surface area achieved 98.4 m² g^?1. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) analysis proved that the nanosheets are made of overlapping TC nanocomposite. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra results illustrated that a well-defined hierarchical porous structure is particularly desired for the low recombination rate of carriers. Further, the TC-decorated carbon fiber (CF) cloth was obtained based on the nanosheets assembled hierarchical structure, which showed more outstanding photocatalytic behavior with high degradation capability for Rhodamine B (RhB) (99.9%) and tetracycline hydrochloride (89.8%) at 60 min by 500 W Xe lamp irradiation. After five consecutive cycles, the degradation efficiencies of TC/CF cloth for both RhB and tetracycline hydrochloride all remained above 90% of the initial value.     

Silver-modified TiO2 nanorods with enhanced photocatalytic activity in visible light region

Silver-modified TiO₂ nanorods (SMTN) have been synthesized via controlled hydrolysis of tetrabutyltitanate (TBOT) in ethanol and immersion method by using AgNO₃ as an Ag source. The physical and chemical properties of SMTN were studied by XRD, SEM, TEM, and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared products was evaluated by photocatalytic decolorization of Rhodamine B (Rh B) aqueous solution at ambient temperature under visible light irradiation. The experimental results reveal that the TiO₂ nanorods, which are well dispersed and uniform, attached large numbers of silver nanoparticles on the surface, and the major crystalline phase of TiO₂ is anatase. The photocatalytic activity research shows that the SMTN exhibit an enhanced photocatalytic activity in visible light region compared with that of pure TiO₂ nanorods and commercial TiO₂ (P25).     

Zn-doped SnO2 hierarchical structures formed by a hydrothermal route with remarkably enhanced photocatalytic performance

Zn-doped SnO₂ hierarchical structures were synthesized by a facile and low-cost hydrothermal route using tin chloride and zinc nitrate as inorganic sources. The Zn-doped SnO₂ hierarchical structures were pompon-like and composed of numerous homogenous nanocones which were radiated from one center. The length and diameter of nanocones were gradually decreased with the increase of doping amount, indicating the morphology of the samples could be well controlled by varying the Zn²⁺ concentration. Additionally, the feasible growth process of obtained samples was discussed on the basis of the habits of nucleation and crystal growth. The photocatalytic performances of Zn-doped SnO₂ hierarchical structures were systematically investigated in the degradation of methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO), rhodamine B (RhB) and Congo red (CR). Compared with pure SnO₂, the 4.0?wt% Zn-doped SnO₂ hierarchical structure presented superior photocatalytic ability, which could be mainly attributed to both present oxygen vacancies and doped Zn²⁺ centers. At last, the possible photocatalytic mechanism was studied by means of the active species trapping experiments as well as the calculated energy band structures.     

Enhanced photocatalytic performance through the ferroelectric synergistic effect of p-n heterojunction BiFeO3/TiO2 under visible-light irradiation

A BiFeO₃/TiO₂ p-n heterojunction photocatalyst with ferroelectric synergistic effect under visible-light irradiation was developed through facile hydrolysis and precipitation by forming nanospheres of TiO₂ on BiFeO₃ nanocube to improve the photocatalytic efficiency. Analyses of the microstructure, optical properties, and photoelectrochemical performance indicate the formation of a core–shell heterostructure of BiFeO₃/TiO₂ with excellent energy band matching. The BiFeO₃/TiO₂ p-n heterojunction has enlarged specific surface area, higher sensitivity to visible-light, and improved separation and transfer efficiency of photoelectron-hole pairs than single TiO₂ and BiFeO₃. Moreover, the composite exhibits superior photocatalytic degradation performance for methylene blue (MB) and common antibiotic tetracycline (TC) under UV and visible-light irradiation. The MB degradation rate within 180 min reaches 78.4% and 90.4% under UV and visible-light irradiation, respectively. Furthermore, the enhanced photocatalytic mechanism of BiFeO₃/TiO₂ is explored by photoluminescence (PL), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), transient photocurrent analysis, radical quenching, and band structure characterization.     

Distinct synergetic effects in the ozone enhanced photocatalytic degradation of phenol and oxalic acid with Fe3+/TiO2 catalyst

In this work, phenol and oxalic acid(OA) degradation in an ozone and photocatalysis integrated process was intensively conducted with Fe~(3+)/TiO_2 catalyst. The ferrioxalate complex formed between Fe~(3+) and oxalate accelerated the removal of OA in the ozonation, photolysis and photocatalytic ozonation process, for its high reactivity with ozone and UV. Phenol was degraded in ozonation and photolysis with limited TOC removal rates, but much higher TOC removal was achieved in photocatalytic ozonation due to the generation of ·OH. The sequence of UV light and ozone in the sequential process also influences the TOC removal, and ozone is very powerful to oxidize intermediates catechol and hydroquinone to maleic acid. Fenton or photo-Fenton reactions only played a small part in Fe~(3+)/TiO_2catalyzed processes, because Fe~(3+) was greatly reduced but not regenerated in many cases.The synergetic effect was found to be highly related with the property of the target pollutants. Fe~(3+)/TiO_2 catalyzed system showed the highest ability to destroy organics, but the TiO_2 catalyzed system showed little higher synergy.     

Design of hierarchical core-shell ZnFe2O4@MnO2@RGO composite with heterogeneous interfaces for enhanced microwave absorption

In order to overcome the problems caused by electromagnetic pollution, the design and development of high-performance microwave absorbers is urgently required. In this work, a hierarchical ZnFe₂O₄@MnO₂@RGO composite was successfully fabricated via a facile and rapid hydrothermal method. Its unique core-shell structure and synergistic effect between multiple components are beneficial for electromagnetic wave absorption. The morphology, elemental composition, microstructure and microwave absorption characteristics were systematically studied. With a filler loading of 20 wt%, the composite presents a minimum reflection loss (R_Lmin) of ?46.7 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) as wide as 5.2 GHz at a thickness of 2.5 mm. The superior absorption ability profits from a special microstructure, good impedance matching, multiple attenuation features, interfacial polarization, and the synergistic effect of dielectric and magnetic loss. Consequently, this work lays a foundation for the design of high-performance electromagnetic wave absorbers with multicomponent heterogeneous structures.     

Iron-doped TiO2 nanotubes with high photocatalytic activity under visible light synthesized by an ultrasonic-assisted sol-hydrothermal method

A series of iron-doped anatase TiO₂ nanotubes (Fe/TiO₂ NTs) catalysts with iron concentrations ranging from 0.88 to 7.00 wt% were prepared by an ultrasonic-assisted sol-hydrothermal process. The structures and the properties of the fabricated Fe/TiO₂ NTs were characterized in detail and photocatalytic activity was examined using a reactive brilliant red X-3B aqueous solution as pollutant under visible light. The lengths of the NTs were determined to range from 20 nm to 100 nm. The incorporation of the iron ions (Fe³⁺) into the TiO₂ nanotubes shifted the photon absorbing zone from the ultraviolet (UV) to the visible wavelengths, reducing the band gap energy from 3.2 to 2.75 eV. The photocatalytic activity of the Fe/TiO₂ NTs was 2–4 times higher than the values measured for the pure TiO₂ nanotubes.     

Controlled synthesis of TiO2 nanorod arrays immobilized on ceramic membranes with enhanced photocatalytic performance

In this work, TiO₂ nanorod arrays (NRAs) were synthesized directly on flat sheet Al₂O₃ ceramic membrane (CM) substrates by a two-step hydrothermal method. The effects of the addition of anions and cations and the preparation parameters in the second step on the morphology and size of TiO₂ were investigated in detail, and the photocatalytic activities of the as-synthesized TiO₂-loaded ceramic membranes were investigated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV light. The results highlighted that the growth of TiO₂ on the CM strongly depended on the synthesis conditions. The anions of Cl^- and Br^- were favorable for the further growth of TiO₂ nanorods, while the anions of SO₄^2- and PO₄^3- with larger ionic radius and higher charge number could retard the growth of TiO₂ nanorods. The SO₄^2- and PO₄^3- could accelerate the formation of nanospheres or nanosheets, respectively. The cation like Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ had no obvious impact on the formation of TiO₂ NRAs. TiO₂ nanorods exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, as about 2.2 and 1.9 times larger than those of TiO₂ nanosheets and TiO₂ nanospheres, respectively. More importantly, the as-synthesized TiO₂ NRAs-loaded ceramic membrane could be easily reused and exhibited better photocatalytic stability. These findings would aid the development of TiO₂ photocatalytic materials with high performance.     

Aerosol processing of Ag/TiO2 composite nanoparticles for enhanced photocatalytic water treatment under UV and visible light irradiation

In this study, we investigated the effect of Ag addition on the photocatalytic reactivity of TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs). Controlled amounts of Ag were incorporated in TiO₂ NPs using aerosol spray pyrolysis and subsequent calcination. Ag/TiO₂ composite NPs containing different amounts of Ag (e.g., 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 5 wt%) were successfully fabricated. The photodegradation performances of the as-prepared Ag/TiO₂ composite NPs were tested using methylene blue (MB) solution under UV and visible light irradiation. Upon increasing the Ag content to 1 wt%, the resulting Ag/TiO₂ composite NPs exhibited increased photocatalytic reactivity due to lowered bandgap energy, which promoted both charge generation and separation. However, when the Ag content exceeded 1 wt%, the photocatalytic reactivity of the resulting Ag/TiO₂ composite NPs was considerably deteriorated due to the masking effect of the excess Ag on the reactive sites of TiO₂. Hence, the incorporation of an optimized amount of Ag in the TiO₂ matrix promotes the photocatalytic reactivity of Ag/TiO₂ composite NPs by controlling their bandgap energy and charge generation and separation processes. These results could lead to the development of photodegradation active substances for water treatment in organic solutions.     

A maskless synthesis of TiO2-nanofiber-based hierarchical structures for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells with improved performance

TiO₂ hierarchical nanostructures with secondary growth have been successfully synthesized on electrospun nanofibers via surfactant-free hydrothermal route. The effect of hydrothermal reaction time on the secondary nanostructures has been studied. The synthesized nanostructures comprise electrospun nanofibers which are polycrystalline with anatase phase and have single crystalline, rutile TiO₂ nanorod-like structures growing on them. These secondary nanostructures have a preferential growth direction [110]. UV–vis spectroscopy measurements point to better dye loading capability and incident photon to current conversion efficiency spectra show enhanced light harvesting of the synthesized hierarchical structures. Concomitantly, the dye molecules act as spacers between the conduction band electrons of TiO₂ and holes in the hole transporting medium, i.e., spiro-OMeTAD and thus enhance open circuit voltage. The charge transport and recombination effects are characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. As a result of improved light harvesting, dye loading, and reduced recombination losses, the hierarchical nanofibers yield 2.14% electrochemical conversion efficiency which is 50% higher than the efficiency obtained by plain nanofibers.     

Nb,F-codoped TiO2 hollow spheres with high visible light photocatalytic activity

Nb, F-codoped TiO₂ hollow spheres (NFTSs) were successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method with niobium oxide, hydrofluoric acid, and tetrabutyl titanate. The obtained spheres were hollow, with a diameter of about 2 μm, and the sphere wall was made up of nanorods arranged close together. The NFTSs presented anatase phase with more {001} facets exposed, which could be mainly attributed to F ions which were preferentially adsorbed on the {001} facets during the crystal growth process. Ti³⁺ states in NFTSs were increased due to Nb, F-codoping, resulting in the decrease of the band gap and the red shift of the absorption edge of the NFTSs. The NFTSs exhibited 20.1% higher photocatalytic speed compared to P25 on the degradation of methylene orange.     

Synthesis of novel p-n heterojunction Cu2SnS3/Ti3+-TiO2 for the complete tetracycline degradation in few minutes and photocatalytic activity under simulated solar irradiation

In this research work, p-n heterojunction Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ photocatalysts were synthesized by using a facile hydrothermal method to degrade tetracycline and produce hydrogen energy. The properties of Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ was analyzed by using XRD, SEM, TEM, HRTEM, BET, PL and UV–vis characterization. The HPLC-MS and TOC analyzer systems were used to analyze the intermediate products during the photocatalysis deprivation and total organic carbon. The characterizations showed that the addition of self-doped Ti³⁺ and Cu₂SnS₃ into TiO₂ enhanced the material's crystallinity, increased the absorption region from 450 nm to 750 nm, increased the surface area of the material from 234 to 583 m²/g and reduced the recombination of charge carriers. Under visible light irradiation, Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ exhibited excellent degradation performance and stability. The increase in the efficiency of the material is due to the creation of an internal electric field induced by the p-n heterojunction and reduction in the bandgap of the material, which efficiently reduced the rate of recombination, increased the surface area for light absorption and increased the transfer of charge carriers. The Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ photocatalyst degraded 100 % tetracycline and produced 510 μmol/hg hydrogen energy. The Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ composite exhibited good stability even after six cycles Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ degraded 98–99 % TC under visible light irridiation. The efficiency of Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ was also analyzed in the outdoor environment, confirming that this material can be effectively used in practical applications.     

Ag nanoparticles loaded TiO2/MWCNT ternary nanocomposite: A visible-light-driven photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic performance and stability

A visible light active photocatalyst, Ag/TiO₂/MWCNT was synthesized by loading of Ag nanoparticles onto TiO₂/MWCNT nanocomposite. The photocatalytic activity of Ag/TiO₂/MWCNT ternary nanocomposite was evaluated for the degradation of methylene blue dye under UV and visible light irradiation. Ag/TiO₂/MWCNT ternary nanocomposite exhibits (~9 times) higher photocatalytic activity than TiO₂/MWCNT and (~2 times) higher than Ag/TiO₂ binary nanocomposites under visible light irradiation. The enhancement in the photocatalytic activity is attributed to the synergistic effect between Ag nanoparticles and MWCNT, which enhance the charge separation efficiency by Schottky barrier formation at Ag/TiO₂ interface and role of MWCNT as an electron reservoir. Effect of different scavengers on the degradation of methylene blue dye in the presence of catalyst has been investigated to find the role of photogenerated electrons and holes. Simultaneously, the Ag/TiO₂/MWCNT shows excellent photocatalytic stability. This work highlights the importance of Ag/TiO₂/MWCNT ternary nanocomposite as highly efficient and stable visible-light-driven photocatalyst for the degradation of organic dyes.