Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.3
3.9
Journals
Catalysts
Special Issues
UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties
share announcement

UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2023) | Viewed by 17136

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Da‐Ren Hang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials and Optoelectronic Science, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
Interests: photocatalysis; dye degradation; water splitting; energy storage and conversion, nanomaterials, 2D materials, sensors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Photocatalysis is regarded as a promising green technique that addresses the challenges of increasing global energy demand and severe environmental pollution. Upon light excitation, electrons in semiconductor photocatalysts can be delocalized and migrate to the surface, generating oxidizing, and/or reducing species to convert photon energy into chemical energy. Production of hydrogen, carbon dioxide reduction, and nitrogen oxide degradation, as well as decomposition of organic pollutants, are well-known examples in which optical absorption plays an important role in determining photocatalytic efficiencies. In the past few decades, many studies have been devoted to improving the optical properties of semiconductor photocatalysts for enhanced solar energy harvesting efficiency. These approaches include heterojunction formation, plasmonic effect, quantum confinement effect, surface roughening, photonic crystals, and doping effects. For instance, the classic semiconductor photocatalyst TiO2 has a wide bandgap that restricts its photo response to the UV region only. By coupling with an appropriate narrow bandgap material, the composite material can be a more efficient visible-light-responsive photocatalyst. Even though a few approaches have been demonstrated, many strategies still require further investigation. As 44% of solar irradiation is near‐infrared (NIR), NIR‐driven photocatalysts deserve more research effort in the years to come. Plasmonic photocatalysts with or without noble metal nanoparticles can be adopted to realize highly efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysts.

This Special Issue will provide information on advancements and challenges in the design, synthesis, construction, and characterization of efficient photocatalytic systems with advanced optical properties and/or design. We welcome contributions to the field in the form of original research articles, communications, or short reviews that reflect the progress of the research of the proposed topics.

The proposed topics include, but are not limited to the following:

  • UV/Vis/NIR photocatalysis
  • Heterogeneous photocatalysis
  • Environmental remediation
  • Hydrogen production
  • Z-scheme
  • Semiconductor
  • 0D/1D/2D nanomaterials
  • Plasmonic photocatalysts
  • Photonic crystal photocatalysts
  • Photocatalytic synthesis
  • Modeling/simulation of reactions and optical processes of photocatalysts
  • Fundamental understanding of the optical properties of photocatalysts

Prof. Dr. Da‐Ren Hang
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

  • Photocatalysis
  • Photocatalytic synthesis
  • Solar energy harvesting
  • Optical absorption
  • Photoluminescence
  • Photocurrent
  • Raman
  • Water and wastewater treatment
  • Photodegradation
  • Water splitting
  • Photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide

Published Papers (9 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

12 pages, 6204 KiB  
Article
Boosting the Photoreactivity of g-C3N4 towards CO2 Reduction by Polymerization of Dicyandiamide in Ammonium Chloride
by Zhi Wang, Shixin Chang, Mengxue Yu, Zaiwang Zhao, Qin Li and Kangle Lv
Catalysts 2023, 13(9), 1260; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13091260 - 31 Aug 2023
Viewed by 837
Abstract
As a typical organic semiconductor photocatalyst, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) suffers from low photocatalytic activity. In this paper, g-C3N4 was prepared by polymerization of dicyandiamide (C2H4N4) in the presence of [...] Read more.
As a typical organic semiconductor photocatalyst, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) suffers from low photocatalytic activity. In this paper, g-C3N4 was prepared by polymerization of dicyandiamide (C2H4N4) in the presence of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl). It was found that the addition of ammonium chloride can greatly improve the photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4 towards CO2 reduction. The optimal photocatalyst (CN-Cl 20) exhibited a CO2-to-CO conversion activity of 50.6 μmolg−1h−1, which is 3.1 times that of pristine bulk g-C3N4 (BCN) that was prepared in the absence of any ammonium chloride. The enhanced photoactivity of g-C3N4 was attributed to the combined effects of chloride modification and an enlarged specific surface area. Chloride modification of g-C3N4 can not only reduce the bandgap, but also causes a negatively shifted conduction band (CB) potential level, while ammonia (NH3) gas from the decomposition of NH4Cl can act as a gas template to exfoliate layered structure g-C3N4, improving the specific surface from 6.8 to 21.3 m2g−1. This study provides new ideas for the synthesis of highly efficient g-C3N4-based photocatalytic materials for CO2 conversion and utilization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 7350 KiB  
Article
Highly Active Carbon Material Derived from Carica papaya Fruit Juice: Access to Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue in Aqueous Solution under the Illumination of Ultraviolet Light
by Muhammad Ali Bhatti, Elmuez Dawi, Aneela Tahira, Khalida Faryal Almani, Shymaa S. Medany, Ayman Nafady, Zulifqar Ali Solangi, Umair Aftab and Zaffar Hussain Ibhupoto
Catalysts 2023, 13(5), 886; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13050886 - 14 May 2023
Viewed by 1592
Abstract
Herein, we describe a cost-effective, efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly pyrolytic method for the synthesis of highly active carbon materials from Carica papaya fruit juice for the photodegradation of various pollutants, such as methylene blue (MB), in aqueous solutions using ultraviolet (UV) light. [...] Read more.
Herein, we describe a cost-effective, efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly pyrolytic method for the synthesis of highly active carbon materials from Carica papaya fruit juice for the photodegradation of various pollutants, such as methylene blue (MB), in aqueous solutions using ultraviolet (UV) light. Various analytical techniques were used to examine the morphology, crystal quality, functional group chemistry, particle size distribution, and optical properties of the materials. For evaluating the performance of the newly prepared carbon material, various photocatalyst parameters were investigated, including initial dye concentration, catalyst dose, pH of dye solution, cyclic stability, and scavenger studies. The obtained findings attest that the optimal degradation efficiency of carbon material for high MB concentrations (2.3 × 10−5 M) is around 98.08%, whereas at low concentrations of MB (1.5 × 10−5 M) it reaches 99.67%. Degradation kinetics indicate that MB degrades in a first-order manner. Importantly, as the pH of the dye solution was adjusted to ~11, the degradation rate increased significantly. The scavenger study indicated that hydroxyl radicals were the predominant species involved in the degradation of MB. In addition, active surface site exposure and charge transfer were strongly associated with efficient MB degradation. On the basis of its performance, this newly developed carbon material may prove to be an excellent alternative and promising photocatalyst for wastewater treatment. Furthermore, the synthetic approach used to produce carbon material from Carica papaya fruit juice may prove useful for the development of a new generation of photoactive materials for environmentally friendly applications, as well as for the production of hydrogen from solar energy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2188 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Denitrification of Nitrate Using Fe-TiO2-Coated Clay Filters
by Tanveer A. Gadhi, Imtiaz Ali Bhurt, Tayyab A. Qureshi, Imran Ali, Anira Latif, Rasool Bux Mahar, Najeebullah Channa and Barbara Bonelli
Catalysts 2023, 13(4), 729; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13040729 - 12 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1612
Abstract
In this work, 3D-structured clay filters were prepared and coated with iron-doped titanium dioxide (Fe-TiO2) using 3D printing and sol–gel soaking and calcination techniques. Three-dimensional printing was employed to mold and shape the clay filters before annealing. The coated and uncoated [...] Read more.
In this work, 3D-structured clay filters were prepared and coated with iron-doped titanium dioxide (Fe-TiO2) using 3D printing and sol–gel soaking and calcination techniques. Three-dimensional printing was employed to mold and shape the clay filters before annealing. The coated and uncoated filters were characterized for different properties, i.e., morphology, optical properties, and crystalline structure, using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), UV/Vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The FESEM images show uniform coatings of round-shaped Fe-TiO2 on the tiny pore of the clay filter. The optical energy band gap of the obtained coating was around 2.8 eV, estimated by Tauc’s plot, compared with 3.2 eV of pristine anatase TiO2. The XRD spectra data processed through XRD software revealed the coatings of TiO2 on the filter surface with the obtained phase of anatase. The photocatalytic performance of bare and coated filters was initially tested for the degradation of indigo carmine (IC) dye and the obtained results suggested the photocatalytic degradation of IC dye by the Fe-TiO2 clay filter compared with the bare filter. Afterward, the denitrification of nitrate NO3 at various concentrations was performed using Fe-TiO2-coated clay filters and analyzing the total nitrogen (TN) analysis and reduction of NO3 to nitrite (NO2−), nitrogen monoxide (NO), and nitrogen gas (N2). The TN analysis revealed up to 81% denitrification efficiency of the 30 ppm NO3 solution with the photocatalytic response of the Fe-TiO2-coated filter. The results revealed that the Fe-TiO2-coated clay filter has a high potential for denitrification applications under natural sunlight. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 5117 KiB  
Article
Fe Single Atoms Reduced by NaBH4 Mediate g-C3N4 Electron Transfer and Effectively Remove 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole
by Chen Yang, Xuefeng Hu, Yaxing Bai, Beichuan Cai and Yujie Li
Catalysts 2023, 13(3), 619; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13030619 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1774
Abstract
In this study, a simple and low-energy synthesis scheme of Fe single-atom anchored carbon nitride was reported to improve the photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4. Synthesized Fe single-atom doped graphite carbon nitride (Fe-SACs/g-C3N4) showed high activity [...] Read more.
In this study, a simple and low-energy synthesis scheme of Fe single-atom anchored carbon nitride was reported to improve the photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4. Synthesized Fe single-atom doped graphite carbon nitride (Fe-SACs/g-C3N4) showed high activity and stability for the degradation of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT); under visible light irradiation, 99% of MBT could be degraded within 35 min, and the degradation ability basically did not decline after five cycles, mainly due to the synergistic effect of the Fe single atoms and carbon nitride. The results of X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and density functional theory calculations show that the single-atom Fe forms Fe-N4 coordination with pyridine nitrogen to generate a new electron transfer channel, which can significantly improve the in-plane separation and transfer of carriers, finally enhancing the generation of superoxide radicals. This is confirmed by time-resolved photoluminescence, photoelectron chemistry, and electron spin resonance measurements. The main intermediates of MBT degradation were determined using a liquid chromatograph–mass spectrometer (LC-MS), and a possible photocatalytic mechanism based on the quenching experiment and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) test was proposed. A deep understanding of the contribution of Fe single-atom sites with clear local coordination structures will help to design effective catalysts for photocatalytic performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 5003 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Visible Light Catalytic Performance of BiOI/Carbon Nanofibers Heterojunction
by Kexin Wang, Lina Liu, Yongsheng Zhang, Jianfeng Su, Ruirui Sun, Jiao Zhang, Yajie Wang and Mingyi Zhang
Catalysts 2022, 12(12), 1548; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12121548 - 01 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1258
Abstract
Semiconductor materials as photocatalysts hold great prospects for renewable energy substitutes and environmental protection. Nanostructured BiOX (X=Cl, Br, I) with favorable features of a unique layered crystal structure and suitable band gaps has been demonstrated to be a promising photocatalytic material. In this [...] Read more.
Semiconductor materials as photocatalysts hold great prospects for renewable energy substitutes and environmental protection. Nanostructured BiOX (X=Cl, Br, I) with favorable features of a unique layered crystal structure and suitable band gaps has been demonstrated to be a promising photocatalytic material. In this paper, a two-step synthesis route combining an electrospinning technique and SILAR reaction has been accepted as a straightforward protocol for the exploitation of BiOI/carbon nanofibers’ (CNFs) hierarchical heterostructures. As expected, the BiOI/CNFs presented a much higher degradation rate of methyl orange than that of the pure BiOI under visible light. The degradation rate of methyl orange reaches 85% within 210 min. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the fact that conductive CNFs as substrate could effectively improve the separation and transformation of photogenerated charges. Moreover, the fabricated BiOI/CNFs after five cycles could be easily recycled without a decrease in photocatalytic activity due to their ultra-long one-dimensional nano-structural property. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 9316 KiB  
Article
Accelerated Decoloration of Organic Dyes from Wastewater Using Ternary Metal/g-C3N4/ZnO Nanocomposites: An Investigation of Impact of g-C3N4 Concentration and Ni and Mn Doping
by Muhammad Azam Qamar, Sammia Shahid, Mohsin Javed, Mohammad Shariq, Mohammed M. Fadhali, Osama Madkhali, Syed Kashif Ali, Imam Saheb Syed, Majed Yusef Awaji, Mohd. Shakir Khan, Dalin A. Hassan and M. Hisham Al Nasir
Catalysts 2022, 12(11), 1388; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12111388 - 08 Nov 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2085
Abstract
Wastewater from many sectors that contains hazardous organic pollutants exacerbates environmental contamination. Consequently, outstanding photocatalytic substances that can successfully degrade hazardous substances are needed to provide pollution-free water. From this perspective, zinc oxide/g-C3N4-based composites are desirable due to their [...] Read more.
Wastewater from many sectors that contains hazardous organic pollutants exacerbates environmental contamination. Consequently, outstanding photocatalytic substances that can successfully degrade hazardous substances are needed to provide pollution-free water. From this perspective, zinc oxide/g-C3N4-based composites are desirable due to their low cost, strong reactivity, and environmental friendliness. So, in the current investigation, sequences of Mn/g-C3N4/ZnO (Mn/GZ) and Ni/g-C3N4/ZnO (Ni/GZ) nanocomposites (NCs) containing different concentrations (wt.%) of g-C3N4 were made via the co-precipitation process. The chemical makeup and morphological characteristics of the produced composites were ascertained via the techniques of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), photoluminescence (PL), and UV spectrophotometry. Methyl orange (MO) and Eriochrome Black T (EBT) dyes were used as target pollutants to assess the composite materials’ photocatalytic effectiveness. Compared to g-C3N4/ZnO and g-C3N4, the produced Mn/GZ and Ni/GZ NCs displayed better photocatalytic activity. The improved photocatalytic efficiency of the Ni/GZ and Mn/GZ NCs might be credited to synergistic interactions at the g-C3N4 and ZnO interface that result in a more efficient separation and conduction of photo-induced charges. Furthermore, the Ni/Mn atoms act as the facilitators to improve electron–hole pair separation and conduction in NCs. The nanocomposites were found to be incredibly stable, with consistently high dye decoloration efficiency over five catalytic cycles. Hence, Ni/GZ and Mn/GZ could potentially be very effective and adaptable photocatalysts for the photocatalytic decoloration of wastewater pollutants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

11 pages, 3928 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Degradation of Eriochrome Black-T Using BaWO4/MoS2 Composite
by Yuvaraj M. Hunge, Anuja A. Yadav and Seok-Won Kang
Catalysts 2022, 12(10), 1290; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12101290 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 1771
Abstract
Photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds using semiconductor oxide materials has attracted increased attention in the recent decades. Both the catalysts and light play an important role in the photocatalytic degradation process. This research work focuses on the synthesis of BaWO4/MoS2 [...] Read more.
Photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds using semiconductor oxide materials has attracted increased attention in the recent decades. Both the catalysts and light play an important role in the photocatalytic degradation process. This research work focuses on the synthesis of BaWO4/MoS2 composite using green chemical method and its use in the degradation of Eriochrome black-T dye. Synthesized BaWO4, and BaWO4/MoS2 composites were characterized by XRD, XPS, Raman, SEM, TEM, BET and UV-Vis characterizations techniques. BaWO4/MoS2 composite exhibits superior photocatalytic performance towards Eriochrome black-T degradation than BaWO4. Superior photocatalytic activity of BaWO4/MoS2 composite corresponds to enhanced light absorption, effective charge generation, separation, and minimum recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 3538 KiB  
Article
Highly Active Rutile TiO2 for Photocatalysis under Violet Light Irradiation at 405 nm
by Fumiaki Amano, Akira Yamamoto and Jun Kumagai
Catalysts 2022, 12(10), 1079; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12101079 - 20 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1651
Abstract
Anatase TiO2 is a widely investigated photocatalyst; however, it can only work under ultraviolet (UV) light with wavelengths less than 390 nm (band gap 3.2 eV). Rutile TiO2 can absorb visible light at wavelengths less than 410 nm (band gap 3.0 [...] Read more.
Anatase TiO2 is a widely investigated photocatalyst; however, it can only work under ultraviolet (UV) light with wavelengths less than 390 nm (band gap 3.2 eV). Rutile TiO2 can absorb visible light at wavelengths less than 410 nm (band gap 3.0 eV); however, its photocatalytic activity is not high. Herein, we activated rutile TiO2, which was prepared from Evonik TiO2 P 25 through calcination at 800 °C using hydrogen reduction treatment at 700 °C. The photocatalytic activity of the hydrogen-treated TiO2 was as high as P 25 under UV irradiation at 380 nm, which was significantly higher than P 25 under violet light irradiation at 405 nm for the oxidative decomposition of acetic acid in water. Electron spin resonance studies indicate that charge separation is enhanced in reduced TiO2, and their oxygen reduction pathways differ between anatase and rutile. The formation of H2O2 was observed on rutile TiO2; however, it was consumed during photocatalysis to accelerate acetic acid decomposition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 5291 KiB  
Article
Slot-Die Process of a Sol–Gel Photocatalytic Porous Coating for Large-Area Fabrication of Functional Architectural Glass
by Adrián Angulo-Ibáñez, Estibaliz Aranzabe, Garikoitz Beobide, Oscar Castillo, Amaia M. Goitandia, Sonia Pérez-Yáñez and Antia Villamayor
Catalysts 2021, 11(6), 711; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11060711 - 06 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2873
Abstract
The slot-die process is an appealing technology for the fabrication of coatings on large-area substrates. However, its application on the production of photocatalytic coatings based on sol–gel formulations remains virtually unexplored. Thus, assessing the suitable formulation of the sol and operational parameters that [...] Read more.
The slot-die process is an appealing technology for the fabrication of coatings on large-area substrates. However, its application on the production of photocatalytic coatings based on sol–gel formulations remains virtually unexplored. Thus, assessing the suitable formulation of the sol and operational parameters that allow one to yield high-efficacy photocatalyst coatings is a current challenge. This work aims to analyze the transferability of titania sol formulation optimized for dip-coating processes to slot-die technology. In this sense, firstly, the sol formulation is optimized by analyzing the influence of several types of surfactants on the microstructural features and photoactivity of TiO2 coatings’ growth on glass substrates. All formulations rendered a meaningful porosity and nanoscopic anatase crystallites (11–15 nm) with optical band gap values close to the expectation (3.25–3.31 eV). Accordingly, the performance of the photocatalytic dye degradation was closely related to the porosity and crystallite size led by each titania sol, and no meaningful differences were found between the results provided by the coatings developed by dip-coating and the slot-die method, which demonstrates the capability of the latter for its application on a large-scale fabrication of photocatalytic coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue UV/Vis/NIR Photocatalysis and Optical Properties)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-9
Back to TopTop