scholarly journals Electrochemically Obtained TiO2/CuxOy Nanotube Arrays Presenting a Photocatalytic Response in Processes of Pollutants Degradation and Bacteria Inactivation in Aqueous Phase

Catalysts ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magda Kozak ◽  
Paweł Mazierski ◽  
Joanna Żebrowska ◽  
Marek Kobylański ◽  
Tomasz Klimczuk ◽  
...  

TiO2/CuxOy nanotube (NT) arrays were synthesized using the anodization method in the presence of ethylene glycol and different parameters applied. The presence, morphology, and chemical character of the obtained structures was characterized using a variety of methods—SEM (scanning electron microscopy), XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray crystallography), PL (photoluminescence), and EDX (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy). A p-n mixed oxide heterojunction of Ti-Cu was created with a proved response to the visible light range and the stable form that were in contact with Ti. TiO2/CuxOy NTs presented the appearance of both Cu2O (mainly) and CuO components influencing the dimensions of the NTs (1.1–1.3 µm). Additionally, changes in voltage have been proven to affect the NTs’ length, which reached a value of 3.5 µm for Ti90Cu10_50V. Degradation of phenol in the aqueous phase was observed in 16% of Ti85Cu15_30V after 1 h of visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). Scavenger tests for phenol degradation process in presence of NT samples exposed the responsibility of superoxide radicals for degradation of organic compounds in Vis light region. Inactivation of bacteria strains Escherichia coli (E. coli), Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), and Clostridium sp. in presence of obtained TiO2/CuxOy NT photocatalysts, and Vis light has been studied showing a great improvement in inactivation efficiency with a response rate of 97% inactivation for E. coli and 98% for Clostridium sp. in 60 min. Evidently, TEM (transmission electron microscopy) images confirmed the bacteria cells’ damage.

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 3105-3116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin-Yue Gu ◽  
Qiu Wang ◽  
Da-Peng Zhang ◽  
Xin-Xiang Geng ◽  
Zhen-Xing Zha ◽  
...  

The Z-scheme Bi2WO6/NaBiO3 nanocomposites were first fabricated by a facile hydrothermal method, and were then characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometer, Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and N2 adsorption–desorption. The as-prepared Bi2WO6/NaBiO3 nanocomposites exhibit outstanding photocatalytic activity and recyclability. A 98.4% photodegradation of 2,3-dichlorophenol (50 mg·L−1) was attained in the presence of Bi2WO6/NaBiO3 (1:10) under the visible-light irradiation in 30 min. In particular, the photocatalytic mechanism has been discussed in detail, based on four aspects: (1) oxidative species, (2) photoelectrochemical performance, (3) conduction band and valence band energy levels and (4) possible transition states and reactions. In conclusion, O−2 is the main active oxidative species in the Bi2WO6/NaBiO3 nanocomposite. The material has higher photocurrent and visible light adsorption but lower electron–hole pairs recombination, which contributes to distinguished photocatalytic efficiency. The Z-scheme photocatalytic path was proposed and the possible degradation process and routes have been summarized.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 633-643
Author(s):  
Xiaopeng Qi ◽  
Junwei Chen ◽  
Qian Li ◽  
Hui Yang ◽  
Honghui Jiang ◽  
...  

Abstract There is an urgent need for an effective and long-lasting ceramic filter for point-of-use water treatment. In this study, silver-diatomite nanocomposite ceramic filters were developed by an easy and effective method. The ceramic filters have a three-dimensional interconnected pore structure and porosity of 50.85%. Characterizations of the silver-diatomite nanocomposite ceramic filters were performed using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Silver nanoparticles were confirmed to be formed in situ in the ceramic filter. The highest silver concentration in water was 0.24 μg/L and 2.1 μg/L in short- and long-term experiments, indicating very low silver-release properties of silver-diatomite nanocomposite ceramic filter. The nanocomposite ceramics show strong bactericidal activity. When contact time with Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) of 105 colony forming units (CFU)/mL exceeded 3 h, the bactericidal rates of the four different silver content ceramics against E. coli and S. aureus were all 100%. Strong bactericidal effect against E. coli with initial concentration of 109 CFU/mL were also observed in ceramic newly obtained and ceramic immersed in water for 270 days, demonstrating its high stability. The silver-diatomite nanocomposite ceramic filters could be a promising candidate for point-of-use water treatment.


Catalysts ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingliang Ma ◽  
Yuying Yang ◽  
Yan Chen ◽  
Fei Wu ◽  
Wenting Li ◽  
...  

In this manuscript, hollow flower-like ferric oxide/manganese dioxide/trimanganese tetraoxide (Fe3O4/MnO2/Mn3O4) magnetically separable microspheres were prepared by combining a simple hydrothermal method and reduction method. As the MnO2 nanoflower working as precursor was partially reduced, Mn3O4 nanoparticles were in situ grown from the MnO2 nanosheet. The composite microspheres were characterized in detail by employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), vibration sample magnetometer (VSM) and UV–visible spectrophotometer (UV–vis). Under visible light conditions, the test for degrading rhodamine B (RhB) was used to verify the photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst. The results showed that the efficiency of the Fe3O4/MnO2/Mn3O4 photocatalyst in visible light for 130 min is 94.5%. The catalytic activity of photocatalyst far exceeded that of the Fe3O4/MnO2 component, and after four cycles, the catalytic performance of the catalyst remained at 78.4%. The superior properties of the photocatalyst came from improved surface area, enhanced light absorption, and efficient charge separation of the MnO2/Mn3O4 heterostructure. This study constructed a green and efficient valence heterostructure composite that created a promising photocatalyst for degrading organic contaminants in aqueous environments.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 191019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shang Wang ◽  
Zhaolian Han ◽  
Tingting Di ◽  
Rui Li ◽  
Siyuan Liu ◽  
...  

The pod-shaped TiO 2 nano burst tubes (TiO 2 NBTs) were prepared by the combination of electrospinning and impregnation calcination with oxalic acid (H 2 C 2 O 4 ), polystyrene (PS) and tetrabutyl titanate. The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were loaded onto the surface of TiO 2 NBTs by ultraviolet light reduction method to prepare pod-shaped Ag@TiO 2 NBTs. In this work, we analysed the effect of the amount of oxalic acid on the cracking degree of TiO 2 NBTs; the effect of the concentration of AgNO 3 solution on the particle size and loading of AgNPs on the surface of TiO 2 NBTs. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy investigated the surface morphology of samples. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterized the structure and composition of samples. Rhodamine B (RhB) solution was used to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of pod-shaped TiO 2 NBTs and Ag@TiO 2 NBTs. The results showed that TiO 2 NBTs degraded 91.0% of RhB under ultraviolet light, Ag@TiO 2 NBTs degraded 95.5% under visible light for 75 and 60 min, respectively. The degradation process of both samples was consistent with the Langmuir–Hinshelwood first-order kinetic equation. Therefore, the catalytic performance of the sample is: Ag@TiO 2 NBTs > TiO 2 NBTs > TiO 2 nanotubes.


Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiting Wang ◽  
Jin Mao ◽  
Zhaowei Zhang ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Liangxiao Zhang ◽  
...  

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a secondary metabolite produced by Fusarium, which is a trichothecene mycotoxin. As the main mycotoxin with high toxicity, wheat, barley, corn and their products are susceptible to contamination of DON. Due to the stability of this mycotoxin, traditional methods for DON reduction often require a strong oxidant, high temperature and high pressure with more energy consumption. Therefore, exploring green, efficient and environmentally friendly ways to degrade or reduce DON is a meaningful and challenging issue. Herein, a dendritic-like α-Fe2O3 was successfully prepared using a facile hydrothermal synthesis method at 160 °C, which was systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that dendritic-like α-Fe2O3 showed superior activity for the photocatalytic degradation of DON in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) and 90.3% DON (initial concentration of 4.0 μg/mL) could be reduced in 2 h. Most of all, the main possible intermediate products were proposed through high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) after the photocatalytic treatment. This work not only provides a green and promising way to mitigate mycotoxin contamination but also may present useful information for future studies.


Catalysts ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoya Yuan ◽  
Zijuan Feng ◽  
Jianjun Zhao ◽  
Jiawei Niu ◽  
Jiasen Liu ◽  
...  

Bismuth nanoparticles (BiNPs) and Zinc Oxide photocatalysts (BiNPs/ZnO) with different Bi loadings were successfully prepared via a facile chemical method. Their morphology and structure were thoroughly characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-Vis (Ultraviolet-Visible) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence spectra (PL), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed that a modification of hexagonal wurtzite-phase ZnO nanoparticles with Bi is achievable with an intimate interfacial interaction within its composites. The performance of the photocatalytic Cr(VI) removal under visible light irradiation indicated that BiNPs/ZnO exhibited a superior removal performance to bare ZnO, Bi, and the counterpart sample prepared using a physical mixing method. The excellent performance of the BiNPs/ZnO photocatalysts could be ascribed to the synergistic effect between the considerable physical Cr (VI) adsorption and enhanced absorption intensity in the visible light region, due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as well as the effective transfer and separation of the photogenerated charge carriers at the interface.


2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 182-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoxia Yan ◽  
Gang Liu ◽  
Lianzhou Wang ◽  
Yong Wang ◽  
Xianfang Zhu ◽  
...  

Aimed at designing an efficient visible light active photocatalyst and suppressing the self-corrosion tendency of CdS nanoparticles, a novel composite consisting of CdS nanoparticles and exfoliated two-dimensional (2D) TiO2 nanosheets was successfully fabricated using a simple self-assembly process. The prepared samples were characterized using various techniques including x-ray diffraction, ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the exfoliated 2D nanosheets played an important role as an ultrathin coating to suppress the photocorrosion of CdS nanoparticles, evidenced by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer analysis. The resultant CdS/TiO2 composites exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity in the oxidation of Rhodamine B in water under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anukorn Phuruangrat ◽  
Jarupat Teppetcharat ◽  
Panudda Patiphatpanya ◽  
Phattranit Dumrongrojthanath ◽  
Somchai Thongtem ◽  
...  

Abstract Heterostructure Pd/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites were successful synthesized in ethylene glycol by microwave-assisted deposition method at 300 W for 10 min. Effect of the loaded Pd on phase, composition, morphology and visible-light-driven photocatalytic properties of Bi2WO6 was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fast-Fourier-Transform (FFT) diffraction, UV-visible absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In this research, good distribution of cubic phase of spherical Pd nanoparticles with particle size of 15–20 nm supported on orthorhombic Bi2WO6 thin nanoplates. The 10% Pd/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites reveal major metallic Pd0 species containing in Bi2WO6 sample. Microwave can be used to synthesize metallic Pd nanoparticles supporting on top of Bi2WO6 nanoplates. Photocatalytic activities of Bi2WO6 loaded with different weight contents of Pd were monitored through photodegradation of cationic rhodamine B (RhB) dye under visible light irradiation of a xenon lamp. The 10% Pd/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites have the highest photocatalytic activity because Pd nanoparticles as electron acceptors promote interfacial charge-transfer through Pd/Bi2WO6 heterojunction.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Fan ◽  
Yan-ning Yang ◽  
Chen Ding

Abstract The g-C3N4 nanosheet was prepared by calcination method, the MoS2 nanosheet was prepared by hydrothermal method. The g-C3N4/MoS2 composites were prepared by ultrasonic composite in anhydrous ethanol. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and photoluminescence (PL) techniques were used to characterize the materials. The photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) by g-C3N4/MoS2 composites with different mass ratios was investigated under visible light. The results show that a small amount of MoS2 combined with g-C3N4 can significantly improve photocatalytic activity. The g-C3N4/MoS2 composite with a mass ratio of 1:8 has the highest photocatalytic activity, and the degradation rate of Rh B increases from 50% to 99.6%. The main reason is that MoS2 and g-C3N4 have a matching band structure. The separation rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs is enhanced. So the g-C3N4/MoS2 composite can improve the photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic mechanism was proposed through the active matter capture experiment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Thi Thuy Trang Phan ◽  
Thanh Tam Truong ◽  
Ha Tran Huu ◽  
Le Tuan Nguyen ◽  
Van Thang Nguyen ◽  
...  

The n%Mn-MoS2/rGO (labeled as n%MMS/rGO, where n% = Mn/(Mn + Mo) in mol) composites were successfully prepared by a facile hydrothermal method from the Mn-MoS2 (MMS) and rGO precursors, in which the MMS was obtained by a facile one-step calcination of (NH4)6Mo7O24·4H2O, (NH2)2CS, and Mn(CH3COO)2·4H2O as precursors in N2 gas at 650°C. The samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which indicates the composites containing nanosheets of Mn-MoS2 and rGO components. The photocatalytic activities of the n%MMS/rGO composite photocatalysts were evaluated through the photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under the visible light irradiation. The enhancement in the photocatalytic performance of the achieved composites was attributed to the synergic effect of Mn doping and rGO matrix. The investigation of photocatalytic mechanism was also conducted.


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