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Inorganic Semiconductor Photocatalysts for Environmental Protection and Remediation
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Inorganic Semiconductor Photocatalysts for Environmental Protection and Remediation

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Photocatalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2020) | Viewed by 25401

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Elzbieta Regulska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Institute of Chemistry/Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland;
2. Organisch-Chemisches Institut / University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Interests: π-extended phosphorus heterocycles; polyaromatic hydrocarbons; heterogeneous photocatalysis; inorganic semiconductors; spinels; perovskites; nanocomposites; carbonaceous nanostructures; electrocatalysts; biosensors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental protection should be of utmost importance for everyone. Nevertheless, the state of the environment is becoming worse at an unsettling pace. Therefore, clear steps should be taken to preserve and, if possible, to improve its current state.

The most efficient methods in this respect are those described as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), while heterogeneous photocatalysis (HP) is considered as the most efficient among the latter. HP utilizes inorganic semiconductors for degradation of organic pollutants. The latter can be found in liquid and gaseous or solid media. Accordingly, inorganic semiconductors have the potential for water/wastewater treatment, air purification, and soil decontamination. Moreover, they can be incorporated into building or construction materials, and distributed on the surface to present self-cleaning activity. Finally, a vast number of inorganic photocatalysts show antimicrobial behavior, being able to deactivate bacteria, fungi, and/or viruses.

Therefore, I kindly invite you to submit a paper to the Special Issue of Catalysts entitled “Inorganic Semiconductor Photocatalysts for Environmental Protection and Remediation”, in which you can report the latest results of your significant research in this area.

Dr. Elzbieta Regulska
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Photocatalytic water treatment
  • Photocatalytic wastewater treatment
  • Photocatalytic building and construction materials
  • Photocatalytic air purification
  • Photocatalytic deodorization
  • Photocatalytic soil decontamination
  • Antimacrobial activity of photocatalysts
  • Bacterial/fungal/viral deactivation by photocatalysts
  • Self-cleaning/antifouling activity of photocatalysts

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 4601 KiB  
Article
Rare-Earth Metals-Doped Nickel Aluminate Spinels for Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants
by Elzbieta Regulska, Joanna Breczko, Anna Basa and Alina Teresa Dubis
Catalysts 2020, 10(9), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal10091003 - 02 Sep 2020
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3151
Abstract
Visible-light-activated photocatalysts based on samarium-doped, europium-doped, and gadolinium-doped nickel aluminates (SmNA, EuNA, GdNA) were synthesized. The spinel crystalline structures of the doped mixed metal oxides were demonstrated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. The presence of the rare-earth metals [...] Read more.
Visible-light-activated photocatalysts based on samarium-doped, europium-doped, and gadolinium-doped nickel aluminates (SmNA, EuNA, GdNA) were synthesized. The spinel crystalline structures of the doped mixed metal oxides were demonstrated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. The presence of the rare-earth metals (REMs) was confirmed by the energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) studies. Ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) spectra revealed that the REMs-doped catalysts absorb in the full solar spectrum range covering both visible and near infrared wavelengths. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) visualized the profound morphological alterations of the doped nickel aluminate samples. Consequently, the pore volume and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area decreased, while nanoparticles sizes increased. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) exposed that surfaces of REMs-doped nickel aluminates are rich in hydroxyl groups. Finally, the photocatalytic performance was notably increased through doping nickel aluminate (NA) with REMs; the highest activity was observed for EuNA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inorganic Semiconductor Photocatalysts for Environmental Protection and Remediation)
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10 pages, 3176 KiB  
Article
Enhanced UV Light Emission by Core-Shell Upconverting Particles Powering up TiO2 Photocatalysis in Near-Infrared Light
by Agnieszka Jarosz-Duda, Paulina O’Callaghan, Joanna Kuncewicz, Przemysław Łabuz and Wojciech Macyk
Catalysts 2020, 10(2), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal10020232 - 15 Feb 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3084
Abstract
The core-shell NaYb0.99F4:Tm0.01@NaYF4 upconverting particles (UCPs) with a high UV emission to apply in NIR-driven photocatalysis were synthesized. The influence of the Yb3+ doping concentration in NaYxF4:Yb0.99−xTm0.01 core [...] Read more.
The core-shell NaYb0.99F4:Tm0.01@NaYF4 upconverting particles (UCPs) with a high UV emission to apply in NIR-driven photocatalysis were synthesized. The influence of the Yb3+ doping concentration in NaYxF4:Yb0.99−xTm0.01 core particles, and the role of the NaYF4 shell on the upconversion emission intensity of the UCPs were studied. The absorption of NIR light by the obtained UCPs was maximized by increasing the Yb3+ concentration in the core, reaching the maximum for Y3+-free particles (NaYb0.99F4:Tm0.01). Additionally, covering the NaYb0.99F4:Tm0.01 core with a protective layer of NaYF4 minimized the surface luminescence quenching, which significantly improved the efficiency of upconversion emission. The high intensity of the UV light emitted by the NaYb0.99F4:Tm0.01@NaYF4 under NIR irradiation resulted in a high photocatalytic activity of TiO2 (P25) mixed with the synthesized material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inorganic Semiconductor Photocatalysts for Environmental Protection and Remediation)
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18 pages, 4464 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Degradation of Different VOCs in the Gas-Phase over TiO2 Thin Films Prepared by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis
by Ibrahim Dundar, Marina Krichevskaya, Atanas Katerski, Malle Krunks and Ilona Oja Acik
Catalysts 2019, 9(11), 915; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9110915 - 02 Nov 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4187
Abstract
In this study, we deposited TiO2 thin films onto borosilicate glass by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at 350 and 450 °C. The aim of study is to determine the effect of deposition temperature on photocatalytic activity of TiO2 thin films and to [...] Read more.
In this study, we deposited TiO2 thin films onto borosilicate glass by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at 350 and 450 °C. The aim of study is to determine the effect of deposition temperature on photocatalytic activity of TiO2 thin films and to investigate the performance of TiO2 thin films on photocatalytic degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), acetone, acetaldehyde, and heptane as functions of different operating parameters. TiO2 thin films deposited at 350 and 450 °C have a thickness value of 190 and 330 nm, respectively. All as-prepared TiO2 films possess an anatase crystalline structure. According to the X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS) study, the TiO2 thin film deposited at 350 °C showed a higher amount of oxygen vacancies and hydroxyl groups on the film surface after UV treatment. The aged-TiO2 thin film deposited at 350 °C showed a water contact angle (WCA) value of 0° after 10 min UV irradiation, showing superhydrophilic surface behavior. The TiO2 film deposited at 350 °C exhibited the highest amount of conversion of MTBE (100%). The results also showed that TiO2 films are capable of photocatalytic degradation of MTBE (100%) and acetaldehyde (approx. 80%) in humid air conditions and high airflow rate. The visible-light-activity of TiO2 thin films was tested with 5 ppm MTBE and acetone. TiO2 thin films deposited at 350 °C with a surface area of 600 cm2 showed 60% of MTBE and 33% of acetone degradation under VIS light. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inorganic Semiconductor Photocatalysts for Environmental Protection and Remediation)
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16 pages, 2051 KiB  
Article
Co(II/III) Complexes with Benzoxazole and Benzothiazole Ligands as Efficient Heterogenous Photocatalysts for Organic Dyes Degradation
by Martyna Szymańska, Włodzimierz Czepa, Cezary Hołubowicz, Renata Świsłocka, Teresa Łuczak, Maciej Kubicki, Joanna Karpińska, Marta A. Fik-Jaskółka and Violetta Patroniak
Catalysts 2019, 9(11), 913; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9110913 - 01 Nov 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2949
Abstract
The problem of pollution in the current world is growing, however people’s awareness of environmental protection and ecology is also increasing. The aim of the study is to present three new Schiff base compounds with Co(II/III) ions and to assess their photocatalytic activity. [...] Read more.
The problem of pollution in the current world is growing, however people’s awareness of environmental protection and ecology is also increasing. The aim of the study is to present three new Schiff base compounds with Co(II/III) ions and to assess their photocatalytic activity. The study was supported by cyclic voltammetry technique. In due course the complex 2 revealed as the most effective in AR18 degradation, even more than commercially available TiO2. The search for new photocatalysts able to decompose harmful organic dyes into environmentally friendly basic substances is becoming a new trend in the area of chemistry development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inorganic Semiconductor Photocatalysts for Environmental Protection and Remediation)
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22 pages, 5517 KiB  
Article
Surface Modification of Nanocrystalline TiO2 Materials with Sulfonated Porphyrins for Visible Light Antimicrobial Therapy
by Adam Sułek, Barbara Pucelik, Marcin Kobielusz, Przemysław Łabuz, Grzegorz Dubin and Janusz M. Dąbrowski
Catalysts 2019, 9(10), 821; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9100821 - 29 Sep 2019
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3590
Abstract
Highly-active, surface-modified anatase TiO2 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized and characterized. The morphological and optical properties of the obtained (metallo)porphyrin@qTiO2 materials were evaluated using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). These hybrid nanoparticles efficiently [...] Read more.
Highly-active, surface-modified anatase TiO2 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized and characterized. The morphological and optical properties of the obtained (metallo)porphyrin@qTiO2 materials were evaluated using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). These hybrid nanoparticles efficiently generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) under blue-light irradiation (420 ± 20 nm) and possessed a unimodal size distribution of 20–70 nm in diameter. The antimicrobial performance of the synthetized agents was examined against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. After a short-term incubation of microorganisms with nanomaterials (at 1 g/L) and irradiation with blue-light at a dose of 10 J/cm2, 2–3 logs of Escherichia coli, and 3–4 logs of Staphylococcus aureus were inactivated. A further decrease in bacteria viability was observed after potentiation photodynamic inactivation (PDI), either by H2O2 or KI, resulting in complete microorganism eradication even when using low material concentration (from 0.1 g/L). SEM analysis of bacteria morphology after each mode of PDI suggested different mechanisms of cellular disruption depending on the type of generated oxygen and/or iodide species. These data suggest that TiO2-based materials modified with sulfonated porphyrins are efficient photocatalysts that could be successfully used in biomedical strategies, most notably, photodynamic inactivation of microorganisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inorganic Semiconductor Photocatalysts for Environmental Protection and Remediation)
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Review

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49 pages, 1664 KiB  
Review
Semiconductor Electrode Materials Applied in Photoelectrocatalytic Wastewater Treatment—an Overview
by Elzbieta Kusmierek
Catalysts 2020, 10(4), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal10040439 - 18 Apr 2020
Cited by 64 | Viewed by 7725
Abstract
Industrial sources of environmental pollution generate huge amounts of industrial wastewater containing various recalcitrant organic and inorganic pollutants that are hazardous to the environment. On the other hand, industrial wastewater can be regarded as a prospective source of fresh water, energy, and valuable [...] Read more.
Industrial sources of environmental pollution generate huge amounts of industrial wastewater containing various recalcitrant organic and inorganic pollutants that are hazardous to the environment. On the other hand, industrial wastewater can be regarded as a prospective source of fresh water, energy, and valuable raw materials. Conventional sewage treatment systems are often not efficient enough for the complete degradation of pollutants and they are characterized by high energy consumption. Moreover, the chemical energy that is stored in the wastewater is wasted. A solution to these problems is an application of photoelectrocatalytic treatment methods, especially when they are coupled with energy generation. The paper presents a general overview of the semiconductor materials applied as photoelectrodes in the treatment of various pollutants. The fundamentals of photoelectrocatalytic reactions and the mechanism of pollutants treatment as well as parameters affecting the treatment process are presented. Examples of different semiconductor photoelectrodes that are applied in treatment processes are described in order to present the strengths and weaknesses of the photoelectrocatalytic treatment of industrial wastewater. This overview is an addition to the existing knowledge with a particular focus on the main experimental conditions employed in the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of various pollutants with the application of semiconductor photoelectrodes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inorganic Semiconductor Photocatalysts for Environmental Protection and Remediation)
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