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Catalysts
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Photocatalytic Nanomaterials for Environmental Purification
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Photocatalytic Nanomaterials for Environmental Purification

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 9070

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Xiaowang Lu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, China
Interests: environmental purification materials; rare earth functional materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid development of modern industry has caused numerous energy and environmental issues. For instance, serious environmental pollution, such as volatile organic compounds, organic/inorganic air pollutants, toxic dyes, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and heavy metal ions’ wastewater, hinders the sustainable development of humanity. Photocatalytic treatment with the application of sunlight offers an inexpensive and green technology with the potential to completely remove refractory pollutants. Extensive efforts have been made in developing high-efficiency photocatalytic materials for environmental purification. In consideration of the unsatisfactory catalytic performance of pristine materials, diverse modification strategies, such as nanostructure construction, crystal structure optimization, surface property modification, defect engineering, and heterojunction formation, are employed to improve their performance.

This Research Topic intends to compile recent progress and challenges in the advancement of photocatalytic materials for environmental purification. Research on various photocatalysts and electrocatalysts, including metals, metal oxides, metal sulfides, nonmetallic oxides, carbonaceous materials, and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), etc., is welcome in relation to their design, synthesis, theory, nanostructure, and characterization. Furthermore, their composites always play an important role in achieving higher performance in the fields of environmental catalysis.

Dr. Xiaowang Lu
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 nanomaterials
  • photocatalysis
  • air purification
  • VOC degradation
  • wastewater treatment

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 6286 KiB  
Article
Fe3O4-CdO Nanocomposite for Organic Dye Photocatalytic Degradation: Synthesis and Characterization
by Ahlam Albeladi, Zaheer Khan, Shaeel Ahmed Al-Thabaiti, Rajan Patel, Maqsood Ahmad Malik and Shilpa Mehta
Catalysts 2024, 14(1), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14010071 - 17 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1110
Abstract
In this study, pure CdO nanoparticles, magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and Fe3O4-CdO nanocomposites were prepared via a solution combustion method using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a template. These prepared nanomaterial samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), [...] Read more.
In this study, pure CdO nanoparticles, magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and Fe3O4-CdO nanocomposites were prepared via a solution combustion method using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a template. These prepared nanomaterial samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS), transmittance electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. XRD patterns confirmed the purity and the crystalline nature of the prepared samples. FTIR and Raman spectra observed the metal-oxygen (M-O) bond formation. UV-vis DRS studies were performed to investigate the optical properties and the bandgap energy determination. The surface morphology and the size of the pure CdO nanoparticles, magnetic Fe3O4, and nanocomposites of Fe3O4-CdO were determined via TEM and SEM analysis. Under optimum experimental conditions, the Fe3O4-CdO nanocomposites were applied for photocatalytic activity against Methylene blue dye. Under visible light irradiation, Fe3O4-CdO nanostructures showed an efficient photocatalytic degradation of 92% against Methylene blue organic dye and showed excellent stability for multiple cycles of reuse. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Nanomaterials for Environmental Purification)
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16 pages, 5866 KiB  
Article
Electron Regulation in Pt-M (M = Cu, Co, and Ni) Decorated WO3 Thin Films for Photocatalytic Degradation Performance
by Jinkang Pan, Lihua Zhang, Cunxia Wang, Kangjie Gao and Pengyu Dong
Catalysts 2023, 13(7), 1044; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13071044 - 28 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1089
Abstract
In this study, Pt-M/WO3 (M = Cu, Co, and Ni) thin films are effectively synthesized by preparing homogeneous precursor sols, spin-coating, toluene-etching, and calcination. Furthermore, the microstructural, chemical, and electrochemical properties of the WO3, Pt-Cu/WO3, Pt-Co/WO3, [...] Read more.
In this study, Pt-M/WO3 (M = Cu, Co, and Ni) thin films are effectively synthesized by preparing homogeneous precursor sols, spin-coating, toluene-etching, and calcination. Furthermore, the microstructural, chemical, and electrochemical properties of the WO3, Pt-Cu/WO3, Pt-Co/WO3, and Pt-Ni/WO3 thin films are also systematically compared. The results demonstrate that when compared to the WO3 thin film, the photocatalytic capability for methylene blue (MB) solution degradation is greatly increased in the Pt-M/WO3 thin films. Transfer routes for photogenerated charges and an improved photocatalytic process are suggested based on the experimental results. Due to the large difference in the work function (Φ) between the bimetallic alloy Pt-M and WO3, a bending of the energy bands at the Pt-M/WO3 interface is presented. Furthermore, the introduction of transition metals such as Cu, Co, or Ni modifies the electronic structure of Pt-M/WO3 thin films, facilitating the separation and migration of electrons and holes. Specifically, the photogenerated electrons migrate from the CB of WO3 to Pt-Co or Pt-Ni nanoparticles in the samples of Pt-Co/WO3 or Pt-Ni/WO3 thin films, while the hot electrons from the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Cu could transfer to the conduction band (CB) of WO3 and other electrons generated from the photoexcitation of the WO3 semiconductor itself in the sample of the Pt-Cu/WO3 thin film. In summary, this work proposes a unique strategy for creating electron regulation in Pt-M decorated WO3 thin films for photocatalytic application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Nanomaterials for Environmental Purification)
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14 pages, 6101 KiB  
Article
One-Pot Fabrication of 2D/2D CdIn2S4/In2S3 Heterojunction for Boosting Photocatalytic Cr(VI) Reduction
by Jiawei Hu, Jiaxin Wu, Siyuan Zhang, Wenxuan Chen, Wen Xiao, Haijun Hou, Xiaowang Lu, Chao Liu and Qinfang Zhang
Catalysts 2023, 13(5), 826; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13050826 - 29 Apr 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1560
Abstract
The development of efficient heterojunction photocatalysts with a facilitated charge carrier separation rate and improved light-harvesting capacity is still a challenging issue for effectively solving environmental pollution. Herein, a one-step refluxing process was employed to construct 2D/2D CdIn2S4/In2 [...] Read more.
The development of efficient heterojunction photocatalysts with a facilitated charge carrier separation rate and improved light-harvesting capacity is still a challenging issue for effectively solving environmental pollution. Herein, a one-step refluxing process was employed to construct 2D/2D CdIn2S4/In2S3 (CISI) heterojunction photocatalysts with an intimate interface between these two components. The crystal structure, morphology, light-harvesting capacity, and Cr(VI) photoreduction performance were systematically investigated and discussed in detail. The tight interface formed between CdIn2S4 (CIS) and In2S3 (IS) could effectively facilitate the charge carrier separation and transfer. Thus, the resulting CISI composites exhibited a high efficiency for Cr(VI) photoreduction under visible light, with the optimal sample of 0.5 CISI. The charge transfer kinetics were deeply investigated by multiple techniques. Based on the characterization results, a possible mechanism for Cr(VI) photoreduction was proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Nanomaterials for Environmental Purification)
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15 pages, 11647 KiB  
Article
Preparation of Two-Dimensional Layered CeO2/Bi2O3 Composites for Efficient Photocatalytic Desulfurization
by Xiaowang Lu, Wenxuan Chen, Haijun Hou, Junchao Qian and Qinfang Zhang
Catalysts 2023, 13(5), 821; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13050821 - 29 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1714
Abstract
A two-dimensional layered CeO2/Bi2O3 composite was synthesized by microwave solvothermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), UV-Vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used [...] Read more.
A two-dimensional layered CeO2/Bi2O3 composite was synthesized by microwave solvothermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), UV-Vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to studied crystal structure, morphology, optical performance, elemental composition and the surface electronic state of the samples. The photocatalytic properties of the prepared samples were evaluated by photocatalytic desulfurization under visible light. When the molar ratio of Ce and Bi was 1:2, CeO2/Bi2O3 composite presented the highest photocatalytic desulfurization rate. Transient Photocurrent measurement, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) showed that CeO2 and Bi2O3 formed a heterojunction, which could promote the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes, improving the photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, it was found that the active species of hydroxyl radical (·OH) played an important role in the photocatalytic degradation of dibenzothiophene (DBT) based on the active species capture experiment. Finally, a plausible mechanism for the photocatalytic oxidative desulfurization of this nanocomposite was proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Nanomaterials for Environmental Purification)
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15 pages, 6548 KiB  
Article
Band Gap Engineering in Quadruple-Layered Sillén–Aurivillius Perovskite Oxychlorides Bi7Fe2Ti2O17X (X = Cl, Br, I) for Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance
by Jikun Chen, Yan Gu, Shishi Xu, Yunxiang Zhang, Zhe Zhang, Lin Shi, Zhichao Mu, Chenliang Zhou, Jiali Zhang and Qinfang Zhang
Catalysts 2023, 13(4), 751; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13040751 - 14 Apr 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1370
Abstract
Developing efficient photocatalyst for the photoreduction of CO2 and degradation of organic pollutants is an effective alternative to address increasingly serious energy problems and environmental pollution. Herein, the isostructural Sillén–Aurivillius oxyhalides, Bi7Fe2Ti2O17X (X = [...] Read more.
Developing efficient photocatalyst for the photoreduction of CO2 and degradation of organic pollutants is an effective alternative to address increasingly serious energy problems and environmental pollution. Herein, the isostructural Sillén–Aurivillius oxyhalides, Bi7Fe2Ti2O17X (X = Cl, Br, and I; BFTOX), are fabricated for CO2 reduction and degradation of organic pollutants for the first time. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the valence band maximum (VBM) of BFTOC and BFTOB is contributed by the dispersive 2p orbitals of O-atoms, providing the narrow band gap (Eg) and possibly the stability against self-decomposition deactivation. The photocatalytic activities of BFTOX are strongly affected by the halogens (Cl, Br, and I), namely, the BFTOCl sample displays outstanding activity improvement (3.74 μmol·g−1·h−1) for photocatalytic performance. This is mainly attributed to the high separation of charge carriers, small optical band gap, and extended optical absorption. This work focuses on affording a reference to develop efficient and stable photocatalysts from Sillén-Aurivillius layered oxyhalide materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Nanomaterials for Environmental Purification)
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20 pages, 14135 KiB  
Article
BiPO4/Ov-BiOBr High-Low Junctions for Efficient Visible Light Photocatalytic Performance for Tetracycline Degradation and H2O2 Production
by Minghui Tang, Xibao Li, Fang Deng, Lu Han, Yu Xie, Juntong Huang, Zhi Chen, Zhijun Feng and Yingtang Zhou
Catalysts 2023, 13(3), 634; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13030634 - 22 Mar 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1690
Abstract
Through a two-step solvothermal method, different molar ratios of BiPO4 were grown in situ on the surface of oxygen-vacancy-rich BiOBr (Ov-BiOBr), successfully constructing a BiPO4/Ov-BiOBr heterojunction composite material. By constructing a novel type I high-low junction between the semiconductor BiPO [...] Read more.
Through a two-step solvothermal method, different molar ratios of BiPO4 were grown in situ on the surface of oxygen-vacancy-rich BiOBr (Ov-BiOBr), successfully constructing a BiPO4/Ov-BiOBr heterojunction composite material. By constructing a novel type I high-low junction between the semiconductor BiPO4 and Ov-BiOBr, stronger oxidative holes or reductive electrons were retained, thereby improving the redox performance of the photocatalyst. The composite catalyst with a 10% molar content of BiPO4 demonstrated the highest degradation rate of tetracycline (TC), degrading over 95% within 90 min, with a rate constant of 0.02534 min−1, which is 2.3 times that of Ov-BiOBr and 22 times that of BiPO4. The 10% BiPO4/Ov-BiOBr sample displayed the best photocatalytic activity, producing 139 μmol·L−1 H2O2 in 120 min, which is 3.6 times the efficiency of Ov-BiOBr and 19 times that of BiPO4. This was due to the appropriate bandgap matching between BiPO4 and Ov-BiOBr, the photo-generated electron transfer channel via Bi-bridge, and efficient charge separation. It was inferred that the free radical species ·OH and ·O2− played the dominant role in the photocatalytic process. Based on experimental and theoretical results, a possible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Nanomaterials for Environmental Purification)
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