Ternary Ag/AgCl/BiOIO_3 composites for enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalysis

Ternary Ag/AgC l/BiO IO3 composite photocatalysts are prepared by a facile method. Enhanced visible-light absorption and charge carrier separation are achieved after the introduction of Ag/AgC l particles into BiO IO3 systems,as revealed by ultraviolet-visible diffuse-reflectance spectrometry,photocurrent response and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Ag/AgC l/BiO IO3 composites are applied to the visible-light photocatalytic oxidization of NO in air and exhibit an enhanced activity for NO removal in comparison with Ag/AgC l and pure BiO IO3. A possible photocatalytic mechanism for Ag/AgC l/BiO IO3 is proposed,which is related to the surface plasmon resonance effects of Ag metal and the effective carrier separation ability of BiO IO3. This work provides insight into the design and preparation of BiO IO3-based materials with enhanced visible-light photocatalysis ability.

Visible-light-driven photocatalysis degradation of antibiotic pollutants by La-doped CeO_(2) nanorods:synergy of La doping and oxygen vacancy

Elemental doping is an effective strategy to enhance photocatalytic activity and extend the light absorption range of single-component photocatalysts.In this work,a series of La-doped CeO_(2) nanorods(La-CeO_(2)-x) with La content of 1 wt%-15 wt% are synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method and further used as photocatalyst for sulfamerazine(SMR) degradation.The prepared La-CeO_(2)-x nanorods exhibit a great improvement in electron-hole pair migration and visible-light response due to the synergistic effect of abundant oxygen vacancies and heterogeneous elements(La).Consequently,La-CeO_(2)-x exhibited excellent visible-light photocatalytic performances and chemical stability for SMR degradation,the La-CeO_(2)-5 sample achieved the highest SMR degradation rate of 81%,which was 3.4 times higher than that of the original CeO_(2).Furthermore,three possible degradation pathways of SMR in La-CeO_(2) photocatalytic reactions were proposed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique.Finally,density functional theory calculations were carried out to provide an in-depth understanding of the structure-performance relationships.Considering its excellent properties and better photocatalytic performance,this study demonstrates that La doping in CeO_(2) is an effective way to increase oxygen vacancy and improve the photochemical properties of photocatalysts.

Enhancing multifunctional photocatalysis with acetate-assisted cesium doping and unlocking the potential of Z-scheme solar water splitting

Graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4))has been extensively doped with alkali metals to enlarge photocatalytic output,in which cesium(Cs)doping is predicted to be the most efficient.Nevertheless,the sluggish diffusion and doping kinetics of precursors with high melting points,along with imprecise regulation,have raised the debate on whether Cs doping could make sense.For this matter,we attempt to confirm the positive effects of Cs doping on multifunctional photocatalysis by first using cesium acetate with the character of easy manipulation.The optimized Csdoped g-C_(3)N_(4)(CCN)shows a 41.6-fold increase in visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)compared to pure g-C_(3)N_(4) and impressive degradation capability,especially with 77%refractory tetracycline and almost 100%rhodamine B degradedwithin an hour.The penetration ofCs+is demonstrated to be a mode of interlayer doping,and Cs–N bonds(especially with sp^(2) pyridine N in C═N–C),along with robust chemical interaction and electron exchange,are fabricated.This atomic configuration triggers the broadened spectral response,the improved charge migration,and the activated photocatalytic capacity.Furthermore,we evaluate the CCN/cadmium sulfide hybrid as a Z-scheme configuration,promoting the visible HER yield to 9.02 mmol g^(−1) h^(−1),which is the highest ever reported among all CCN systems.This work adds to the rapidly expanding field of manipulation strategies and supports further development of mediating served for photocatalysis.

Core-Shell Semiconductor-Graphene Nanoarchitectures for Efficient Photocatalysis:State of the Art and Perspectives

Semiconductor photocatalysis holds great promise for renewable energy generation and environment remediation,but generally suffers from the serious drawbacks on light absorption,charge generation and transport,and structural stability that limit the performance.The core-shell semiconductorgraphene(CSSG)nanoarchitectures may address these issues due to their unique structures with exceptional physical and chemical properties.This review explores recent advances of the CSSG nanoarchitectures in the photocatalytic performance.It starts with the classification of the CSSG nanoarchitectures by the dimensionality.Then,the construction methods under internal and external driving forces were introduced and compared with each other.Afterward,the physicochemical properties and photocatalytic applications of these nanoarchitectures were discussed,with a focus on their role in photocatalysis.It ends with a summary and some perspectives on future development of the CSSG nanoarchitectures toward highly efficient photocatalysts with extensive application.By harnessing the synergistic capabilities of the CSSG architectures,we aim to address pressing environmental and energy challenges and drive scientific progress in these fields.

From the perspective of experimental practice: High-throughput computational screening in photocatalysis

Photocatalysis,a critical strategy for harvesting sunlight to address energy demand and environmental concerns,is underpinned by the discovery of high-performance photocatalysts,thereby how to design photocatalysts is now generating widespread interest in boosting the conversion effi-ciency of solar energy.In the past decade,computational technologies and theoretical simulations have led to a major leap in the development of high-throughput computational screening strategies for novel high-efficiency photocatalysts.In this viewpoint,we started with introducing the challenges of photocatalysis from the view of experimental practice,especially the inefficiency of the traditional“trial and error”method.Sub-sequently,a cross-sectional comparison between experimental and high-throughput computational screening for photocatalysis is presented and discussed in detail.On the basis of the current experimental progress in photocatalysis,we also exemplified the various challenges associated with high-throughput computational screening strategies.Finally,we offered a preferred high-throughput computational screening procedure for pho-tocatalysts from an experimental practice perspective(model construction and screening,standardized experiments,assessment and revision),with the aim of a better correlation of high-throughput simulations and experimental practices,motivating to search for better descriptors.

Synthesis of crystalline g-C_(3)N_(4) with rock/molten salts for efficient photocatalysis and piezocatalysis

Graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4))is emerging as a promising visible-light photocatalyst while the low crystallinity with sluggish charge separation/migration dynamics significantly restricts its practical applications.Currently,synthesizing highly crystalline g-C_(3)N_(4) with sufficient surface activities still remains challenging.Herein,different from using alkali molten salts which is commonly reported,we propose an approach for synthesis of highly crystalline g-C_(3)N_(4) with FeCl3/KCl rock/molten mixed salts.The rock salt can serve as the structure-directing template while molten salt provides the required liquid medium for re-condensation.Intriguingly,the synthesized photocatalyst showed further enhanced crystallinity and improved surface area along with high p/p*excitation compared with crystalline C_(3)N_(4) prepared from conventional molten-salt methods.These catalytically advantageous features lead to its superior photocatalytic and piezocatalytic activities with a high reactivity for overall water splitting that is not commonly reported for C_(3)N_(4).This work provides an effective strategy for structural optimization of organic semiconductor based materials and may inspire new ideas for the design of advanced photocatalysts.

Atomic Ni directional-substitution on ZnIn_(2)S_(4) nanosheet to achieve the equilibrium of elevated redox capacity and efficient carrier-kinetics performance in photocatalysis

It is a challenge to coordinate carrier-kinetics performance and the redox capacity of photogenerated charges synchronously at the atomic level for boosting photocatalytic activity.Herein,the atomic Ni was introduced into the lattice of hexagonal ZnIn_(2)S_(4) nanosheets(Ni/ZnIn_(2)S_(4))via directionalsubstituting Zn atom with the facile hydrothermal method.The electronic structure calculations indicate that the introduction of Ni atom effectively extracts more electrons and acts as active site for subsequent reduction reaction.Besides the optimized light absorption range,the elevation of Efand ECBendows Ni/ZnIn_(2)S_(4) photocatalyst with the increased electron concentration and the enhanced reduction ability for surface reaction.Moreover,ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy,as well as a series of electrochemical tests,demonstrates that Ni/ZnIn_(2)S_(4) possesses 2.15 times longer lifetime of the excited charge carriers and an order of magnitude increase for carrier mobility and separation efficiency compared with pristine ZnIn_(2)S_(4).These efficient kinetics performances of charge carriers and enhanced redox capacity synergistically boost photocatalytic activity,in which a 3-times higher conversion efficiency of nitrobenzene reduction was achieved upon Ni/ZnIn_(2)S_(4).Our study not only provides in-depth insights into the effect of atomic directional-substitution on the kinetic behavior of photogenerated charges,but also opens an avenue to the synchronous optimization of redox capacity and carrier-kinetics performance for efficient solar energy conversion.

Engineering g-C_(3)N_(4)based materials for advanced photocatalysis:Recent advances

Photocatalysis driven by abundant yet intermittent solar energy has considerable potential in renewable energy generation and environmental remediation.The outstanding electronic structure and physicochemical properties of graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4)),together with unique metal-free characteristic,make them ideal candidates for advanced photocatalysts construction.This review summarizes the up-to-date advances on g-C_(3)N_(4)based photocatalysts from ingenious-design strategies and diversified photocatalytic applications.Notably,the advantages,fabrication methods and limitations of each design strategy are systemically analyzed.In order to deeply comprehend the inner connection of theory–structure–performance upon g-C_(3)N_(4)based photocatalysts,structure/composition designs,corresponding photocatalytic activities and reaction mechanisms are jointly discussed,associated with introducing their photocatalytic applications toward water splitting,carbon dioxide/nitrogen reduction and pollutants degradation,etc.Finally,the current challenges and future perspectives for g-C_(3)N_(4)based materials for photocatalysis are briefly proposed.These design strategies and limitations are also instructive for constructing g-C_(3)N_(4) based materials in other energy and environment-related applications.

Visible light triggered exfoliation of COF micro/nanomotors for efficient photocatalysis

We report a new facile light-induced strategy to disperse micron-sized aggregated bulk covalent organic frameworks(COFs)into isolated COFs nanoparticles.This was achieved by a series of metal-coordinated COFs,namely COF-909-Cu,-Co or-Fe,where for the first time the diffusio-phoretic propulsion was utilized to design COF-based micro/nanomotors.The mechanism studies revealed that the metal ions decorated in the COF-909 backbone could promote the separation of electron and holes and trigger the production of sufficient ionic and reactive oxygen species under visible light irradiation.In this way,strong light-induced self-diffusiophoretic effect is achieved,resulting in good dispersion of COFs.Among them,COF-909-Fe showed the highest dispersion performance,along with a drastic decrease in particle size from 5μm to500 nm,within only 30 min light irradiation,which is inaccessible by using traditional magnetic stirring or ultrasonication methods.More importantly,benefiting from the outstanding dispersion efficiency,COF-909-Fe micro/nanomotors were demonstrated to be efficient in photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline,about 8 times faster than using traditional magnetic stirring method.This work opens up a new avenue to prepare isolated nanosized COFs in a high-fast,simple,and green manner.

BiOCl/ultrathin polyaniline core/shell nanosheets with a sensitization mechanism for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysis

Photocatalytic technology holds great promise in renewable energy and environmental protection.Herein,we report the synthesis of a class of polyaniline-sensitized BiOCI core/shell nanosheets with visible-light photocatalytic activity by a one-step oxidative polymerization method and show how the hybrid nanosheet boosts the photocatalytic activity and stability for degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB).In this unique structure,the ultrathin polyaniline (PANI)as a shell with the thickness of about 1-2nm,can widen the response of the catalyst to visible light to boost photocatalysis and the BiOCI core can promote the separation of photogenerated carriers from the PANI.We demonstrate that the optimized BiOCl/ PANI core/shell photocatalyst shows nearly three times higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of RhB than pure BLOC1and also shows high stability.This work provides a new strategy for the design of a highly efficient hybrid photo- catalyst driven by visible light.

Biofilm response and removal via the coupling of visible-light-driven photocatalysis and biodegradation in an environment of sulfamethoxazole and Cr(Ⅵ)

The widespread contamination of water systems with antibiotics and heavy metals has gained much attention.Intimately coupled visible-light-responsive photocatalysis and biodegradation(ICPB)provides a novel approach for removing such mixed pollutants.In ICPB,the photocatalysis products are biodegraded by a protected biofilm,leading to the mineralization of refractory organics.In the present study,the ICPB approach exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity and biodegradation,providing up to~1.27 times the degradation rate of sulfamethoxazole(SMX)and 1.16 times the Cr(Ⅵ)reduction rate of visiblelight-induced photocatalysis.Three-dimensional fluorescence analysis demonstrated the synergistic ICPB effects of photocatalysis and biodegradation for removing SMX and reducing Cr(Ⅵ).In addition,the toxicity of the SMX intermediates and Cr(Ⅵ)in the ICPB process significantly decreased.The use of MoS_(2)/CoS_(2)photocatalyst accelerated the separation of electrons and holes,with·O_(2)^(–)and h+attacking SMX and ereducing Cr(Ⅵ),providing an effective means for enhancing the removal and mineralization of these mixed pollutants via the ICPB technique.The microbial community results demonstrate that bacteria that are conducive to pollutant removal are were enriched by the acclimation and ICPB operation processes,thus significantly improving the performance of the ICPB system.

Self-adaptive bulk/surface engineering of Bi_(x)O_(y)Br_(z) towards enhanced photocatalysis:Current status and future challenges

The bulk/surface states of semiconductor photocatalysts are imperative parameters to maneuver their performance by significantly affecting the key processes of photocatalysis including light absorption,separation of charge carrier,and surface site reaction.Recent years have witnessed the encouraging progress of self-adaptive bulk/surface engineered Bi_(x)O_(y)Br_(z) for photocatalytic applications spanning various fields.However,despite the maturity of current research,the interaction between the bulk/surface state and the performance of Bi_(x)O_(y)Br_(z) has not yet been fully understood and highlighted.In this regard,a timely tutorial overview is quite urgent to summarize the most recent key progress and outline developing obstacles in this exciting area.Herein,the structural characteristics and fundamental principles of Bi_(x)O_(y)Br_(z)for driving photocatalytic reaction as well as related key issues are firstly reviewed.Then,we for the first time summarized different self-adaptive engineering processes over Bi_(x)O_(y)Br_(z)followed by a classification of the generation approaches towards diverse Bi_(x)O_(y)Br_(z)materials.The features of different strategies,the up-to-date characterization techniques to detect bulk/surface states,and the effect of bulk/surface states on improving the photoactivity of Bi_(x)O_(y)Br_(z)in expanded applications are further discussed.Finally,the present research status,challenges,and future research opportunities of self-adaptive bulk/surface engineered Bi_(x)O_(y)Br_(z)are prospected.It is anticipated that this critical review can trigger deeper investigations and attract upcoming innovative ideas on the rational design of Bi_(x)O_(y)Br_(z)-based photocatalysts.

Transition metal dichalcogenide-based mixed-dimensional heterostructures for visible-light-driven photocatalysis:Dimensionality and interface engineering

Two-dimensional(2D)transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDCs)are emerging as promising building blocks of high-performance photocatalysts for visible-light-driven water splitting because of their unique physical,chemical,electronic,and optical properties.This review focuses on the fundamentals of 2D TMDC-based mixed-dimensional heterostructures and their unique properties as visible-light-driven photocatalysts from the perspective of dimensionality and interface engineering.First,we discuss the approaches and advantages of surface modification and functionalization of 2D TMDCs for photocatalytic water splitting under visible-light illumination.We then classify the strategies for improving the photocatalytic activity of 2D TMDCs via combination with various low-dimensional nanomaterials to form mixed-dimensional heterostructures.Further,we highlight recent advances in the use of these mixed-dimensional heterostructures as high-efficiency visible-light-driven photocatalysts,particularly focusing on synthesis routes,modification approaches,and physiochemical mechanisms for improving their photoactivity.Finally,we provide our perspectives on future opportunities and challenges in promoting real-world photocatalytic applications of 2D TMDC-based heterostructures.

Solar Photocatalysis of A Pesticide in A Tubular Reactor on Titaniferous Sand as A New Semi-Conductor

This present study comes in addition to overcome the problems of separation of fine particles of TiO2 in heterogeneous photocatalysis after treatment. It aims to show the potential for using titaniferous sand as a new semiconductor under solar irradiation. The photocatalytic efficiency of this titaniferous sand was tested on a pesticide (Azadirachtin). A tubular photocatalytic reactor with recirculation of the polluting solution was designed for the elimination of the pesticide in an aqueous solution. Before its use as a photocatalyst, the titaniferous sand has undergone a specific treatment that consists of calcination at 600℃ followed by extraction of the calcined natural organic materials, which can interfere with the measurement of analytical parameters such as COD. The titaniferous sand was also characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). XRF analyses have shown that TiO2 is predominant in the titaniferous sand with a percentage that has been estimated at 46.34%. The influence of various experimental parameters such as the flow rate of the polluting solution, the concentration of titaniferous sand, the presence of oxygen and the intensity of the overall rate of sunshine, was studied to optimize the photocatalytic degradation of the pesticide. The results showed that the highest removal rate (70%) was observed under the following conditions: a pH of 6, a titaniferous sand concentration of 150 g/L, a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min, and a sunshine rate of 354 W/m2 and in the presence of atmospheric oxygen. Under these experimental conditions, the rate of photodegradation of the pesticide follows the pseudo first order kinetic model of Langmuir Hinshelwood with a coefficient of determination R2 of 0.9869 and an apparent rate constant of 0.0029 min-1. The results clearly demonstrated the potential of titaniferous sand as a photocatalyst sensitive to sunlight for the effective removal of pesticides in the aquatic environment.

Introducing Spin Polarization into Mixed-Dimensional Van der Waals Heterostructures for High-Efficiency Visible-Light Photocatalysis

The low separation efficiency of the photogenerated carrier and the poor activity of the surface redox reaction are the main barrier to further improvement of photocatalytic materials.To address these issues,introducing spin-polarized electrons in single-component photocatalytic materials emerged as a promising approach.However,the decreased redox ability of photocarriers in these materials becomes a new challenge.Herein,we mitigate this challenge with a carbon nitride sheet(CNs)/graphene nanoribbon(GNR)composite material that has a van der Waals heterostructures(vdWHs)and spin-polarized electron properties.Experimental results and theoretical calculations show that the heterostructure has a strong redox ability,high carrier-separation efficiency,and enhanced surface catalytic reaction.Consequently,the mixed-dimensional CNs/GNR vdWHs exhibit remarkable performance for H_(2)and O_(2)generation as well as CO_(2)production under visible-light irradiation without any cocatalyst.The spin-polarized vdWHs discovered in this study revealed a new type of photocatalytic materials and advanced the development of spintronics and photocatalysis.

Efficient degradation of dye pollutants in wastewater via photocatalysis using a magnetic zinc oxide/graphene/iron oxide-based catalyst

In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept study of the enhancement of photocatalytic activity via a combined strategy of fabricating a visible-light responsive ternary heterostructure and improving overall photostability by incorporating magnetic zinc oxide/graphene/iron oxide (ZGF). A solvothermal approach was used to synthesize the catalyst. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopic, energy dispersive X-ray, transmission electron microscopic, vibrating sample magnetometric, and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the synthesized samples. The obtained optimal Zn(NO_(3))_(2) concentration, temperature, and heating duration were 0.10 mol/L, 600℃, and 1 h, respectively. The XRD pattern revealed the presence of peaks corresponding to zinc oxide, graphene, and iron oxide, indicating that the ZGF catalyst was effectively synthesized. Furthermore, when the developed ZGF was used for methylene blue dye degradation, the optimum irradiation time, dye concentration, catalyst dosage, irradiation intensity, and solution pH were 90 min, 10 mg/L, 0.03 g/L, 100 W, and 8.0, respectively. Therefore, the synthesized ZGF system could be used as a catalyst to degrade dyes in wastewater samples. This hybrid nanocomposite consisting of zinc oxide, graphene, and iron oxide could also be used as an effective photocatalytic degrader for various dye pollutants.

Photocatalysis of TiO2 Sheets Prepared by Templating Filter Paper

Titanium dioxide sheet photocatalysts composed of interwoven microstrips were successfully synthesized using filter paper as templates. The synthesized samples were characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, surface area analyzer, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange in an aqueous solution under UV-illumination. The results demonstrated that the paper-like TiO2 sheets with the optimum proportion of anatase/rutile （10/1） had the highest photoactivity. And the presence of the filter paper fiber can improve the crystallinity, raise the anatase-rutile transformation temperature and contribute to the formation of being paper-like. A detailed formation mechanism for TiO2 sheets is proposed.

Hydrogenation and Ammoniation of SrTiO3 for an Enhanced Visible-light Photocatalysis

Hydrogenation and ammoniation of SrTiOa （STO）, a normal ultraviolet photocatalyst, were performed by annealing STO（100） in Hz：N2=5%：95% and NH3, respectively, at various temperatures T. It was found that hydrogenation at T≥900℃ remarkably enhanced the UV photocatalytic ability of STO, but the visible-light photocatalysis was still unavailable, while ammoniation at T≥800℃ introduced the N doping, resulting in visible-light photocat- alytie activity. Furthermore, when a hydrogenated STO was subjected to ammoniation, the visible-light photocatalytie ability was nearly the same as that of the ammoniated one; but the hydrogenation of an ammoniated one significantly enhanced visible-light photoeatalysis, indicating a synergetic effect of hydrogenation and ammoniation. Discussions and identifications have been made to analyze these results.

Fabrication of a β-Bi_2O_3/BiOI heterojunction and its efficient photocatalysis for organic dye removal

To improve β-Bi2O3 photocatalysis,we couple β-Bi2O3 with BiO I to form β-Bi2O3/BiO I heterojunctions through an in-situ treatment with hydriodic acid. The prepared heterojunctions are characterized with X-ray diffraction,field emission scanning electron microscopy,transmission electron microscopy,ultra violet-diffuse reflectance spectroscopy,and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Upon visible-light irradiation（λ 420 nm）,the β-Bi2O3/BiO I heterojunctions,especially with the molar ratio of HI to β-Bi2O3 at 0.4,exhibit much higher photocatalytic activity than pure β-Bi2O3 and BiO I for the degradation of methyl orange. The efficient separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs across the interface of the heterojunction between β-Bi2O3 and BiO I would be responsible for the enhanced photocatalytic performances.

Thermal nitridation of triazine motifs to heptazine-based carbon nitride frameworks for use in visible light photocatalysis

A thermal nitridation route for the assembly and polymerization of molecular triazine units to heptazine-based covalent frameworks has been successfully established. The obtained conjugated carbon nitride polymers feature nanostructures that show enhanced photocatalytic reactivity for hydrogen production under visible light irradiation.