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Nanomaterials
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Nanostructured Photocatalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Applications
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Nanostructured Photocatalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy and Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 9378

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Cameron Shearer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Interests: photocatalysis; nanomaterials; characterization; photovoltaics; hydrogen production; renewable energy; remediation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sunlight is the most abundant energy source on Earth, yet it is still underutilized in chemical synthesis. The best use of sunlight, currently, is in the field of photovoltaics, but the energy converted must be used immediately or stored in batteries.

If sunlight were used for the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by water splitting, then the converted energy would be stored in hydrogen molecules and could be stored indefinitely or transported worldwide. Photocatalysis for energy conversion is not limited to hydrogen production but can also be applied in the conversion of any substance to a fuel, with the conversion of CO2 to hydrocarbons being a goal of this field.

Photocatalysis can also be used in environmental remediation strategies, such as the destruction of airborne pollutants, breakdown of industrial effluents, or mineralization of toxic products in waterways.

With the development of high-energy LEDs with low power consumption, photocatalytic reactions may not even require sunlight for them to be more economically advantageous than such typical industrial processes as the use of high temperatures or pressures.

This Special Issue is focused on developments in photocatalysts and photocatalysis for energy conversion and environmental remediation. Submissions focused on research that addresses how to improve the efficiency and light absorption or reduce the cost of photocatalysts are welcome, along with those examining the application of photocatalysis in the production of fuels such as hydrogen or methanol, or the destruction of contaminants such as pesticides, NOx, or perfluorinated substances.

Dr. Cameron Shearer
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. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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
  • energy conversion
  • environmental remediation
  • nanomaterials
  • hydrogen production
  • organic breakdown

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 6539 KiB  
Article
Design of SnO2:Ni,Ir Nanoparticulate Photoelectrodes for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
by Mohamed Shaban, Abdullah Almohammedi, Rana Saad and Adel M. El Sayed
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(3), 453; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12030453 - 28 Jan 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2868
Abstract
Currently, hydrogen generation via photocatalytic water splitting using semiconductors is regarded as a simple environmental solution to energy challenges. This paper discusses the effects of the doping of noble metals, Ir (3.0 at.%) and Ni (1.5–4.5 at.%), on the structure, morphology, optical properties, [...] Read more.
Currently, hydrogen generation via photocatalytic water splitting using semiconductors is regarded as a simple environmental solution to energy challenges. This paper discusses the effects of the doping of noble metals, Ir (3.0 at.%) and Ni (1.5–4.5 at.%), on the structure, morphology, optical properties, and photoelectrochemical performance of sol-gel-produced SnO2 thin films. The incorporation of Ir and Ni influences the position of the peaks and the lattice characteristics of the tetragonal polycrystalline SnO2 films. The films have a homogeneous, compact, and crack-free nanoparticulate morphology. As the doping level is increased, the grain size shrinks, and the films have a high proclivity for forming Sn–OH bonds. The optical bandgap of the un-doped film is 3.5 eV, which fluctuates depending on the doping elements and their ratios to 2.7 eV for the 3.0% Ni-doped SnO2:Ir Photoelectrochemical (PEC) electrode. This electrode produces the highest photocurrent density (Jph = 46.38 mA/cm2) and PEC hydrogen production rate (52.22 mmol h−1cm−2 at −1V), with an Incident-Photon-to-Current Efficiency (IPCE% )of 17.43% at 307 nm. The applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) of this electrode is 1.038% at −0.839 V, with an offset of 0.391% at 0 V and 307 nm. These are the highest reported values for SnO2-based PEC catalysts. The electrolyte type influences the Jph values of photoelectrodes in the order Jph(HCl) > Jph(NaOH) > Jph(Na2SO4). After 12 runs of reusability at −1 V, the optimized photoelectrode shows high stability and retains about 94.95% of its initial PEC performance, with a corrosion rate of 5.46 nm/year. This research provides a novel doping technique for the development of a highly active SnO2-based photoelectrocatalyst for solar light-driven hydrogen fuel generation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Photocatalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Applications)
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19 pages, 3534 KiB  
Article
Highly Efficient Photocatalyst Fabricated from the Chemical Recycling of Iron Waste and Natural Zeolite for Super Dye Degradation
by Fatma Mohamed, Safwat Hassaballa, Mohamed Shaban and Ashour M. Ahmed
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(2), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12020235 - 12 Jan 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2099
Abstract
In this paper, Fe2O3 and Fe2O3-zeolite nanopowders are prepared by chemical precipitation utilizing the rusted iron waste and natural zeolite. In addition to the nanomorphologies; the chemical composition, structural parameters, and optical properties are examined using [...] Read more.
In this paper, Fe2O3 and Fe2O3-zeolite nanopowders are prepared by chemical precipitation utilizing the rusted iron waste and natural zeolite. In addition to the nanomorphologies; the chemical composition, structural parameters, and optical properties are examined using many techniques. The Fe2O3-zeolite photocatalyst showed smaller sizes and higher light absorption in visible light than Fe2O3. Both Fe2O3 and Fe2O3-zeolite are used as photocatalysts for methylene blue (MB) photodegradation under solar light. The effects of the contact time, starting MB concentration, Fe2O3-zeolite dose, and pH value on photocatalytic performance are investigated. The full photocatalytic degradation of MB dye (10 mg/L) is achieved using 75 mg of Fe2O3-zeolite under visible light after 30 s, which, to the best of our knowledge, is the highest performance yet for Fe2O3-based photocatalysts. This photocatalyst has also shown remarkable stability and recyclability. The kinetics and mechanisms of the photocatalytic process are studied. Therefore, the current work can be applied industrially as a cost-effective method for eliminating the harmful MB dye from wastewater and recycling the rusted iron wires. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Photocatalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Applications)
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25 pages, 8250 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Activity of Revolutionary Galaxaura elongata, Turbinaria ornata, and Enteromorpha flexuosa’s Bio-Capped Silver Nanoparticles for Industrial Wastewater Treatment
by Manal N. Abdel Azeem, Safwat Hassaballa, Osama M. Ahmed, Khaled N. M. Elsayed and Mohamed Shaban
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(12), 3241; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11123241 - 29 Nov 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1716
Abstract
More suitable wastewater treatment schemes need to be developed to get rid of harmful dyes and pigments before they are discharged, primarily from apparel and textile factories, into water bodies. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) are very effective, reductive nanocatalysts that can degrade many organic [...] Read more.
More suitable wastewater treatment schemes need to be developed to get rid of harmful dyes and pigments before they are discharged, primarily from apparel and textile factories, into water bodies. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) are very effective, reductive nanocatalysts that can degrade many organic dyes. In this study, Ag-NPs are stabilized and capped with bioactive compounds such as Galaxaura elongata, Turbinaria ornata, and Enteromorpha flexuosa from marine macroalgae extracts to produce Ag[GE], Ag[TE], and Ag[EE] NPs. The reduction of Ag ions and the production of Ag[GE], Ag[TE], and Ag[EE] NPs have been substantiated by UV–Vis spectroscopy, SEM, EDX, and XRD tests. The NPs are sphere and crystalline shaped in nature with dimensions ranging from 20 to 25 nm. The biosynthesized Ag[GE], Ag[TE], Ag[EE] NPs were applied to photodegrade hazardous pigments such as methylene blue, Congo red, safranine O, and crystal violet under sunlight irradiation. In addition to the stability analysis, various experimental parameters, including dye concentration, exposure period, photocatalyst dose, and temperature, were optimized to achieve 100% photodegradation of the dyes. Moreover, the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were calculated and the impact of scavengers on the photocatalytic mechanism was also investigated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Photocatalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Applications)
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12 pages, 3050 KiB  
Article
Simultaneous Conduction and Valence Band Regulation of Indium-Based Quantum Dots for Efficient H2 Photogeneration
by Xiu-Ping Li, Rong-Jin Huang, Cong Chen, Tianduo Li and Yu-Ji Gao
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(5), 1115; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11051115 - 26 Apr 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2175
Abstract
Indium-based chalcogenide semiconductors have been served as the promising candidates for solar H2 evolution reaction, however, the related studies are still in its infancy and the enhancement of efficiency remains a grand challenge. Here, we report that the photocatalytic H2 evolution [...] Read more.
Indium-based chalcogenide semiconductors have been served as the promising candidates for solar H2 evolution reaction, however, the related studies are still in its infancy and the enhancement of efficiency remains a grand challenge. Here, we report that the photocatalytic H2 evolution activity of quantized indium chalcogenide semiconductors could be dramatically aroused by the co-decoration of transition metal Zn and Cu. Different from the traditional metal ion doping strategies which only focus on narrowing bandgap for robust visible light harvesting, the conduction and valence band are coordinately regulated to realize the bandgap narrowing and the raising of thermodynamic driving force for proton reduction, simultaneously. Therefore, the as-prepared noble metal-free Cu0.4-ZnIn2S4 quantum dots (QDs) exhibits extraordinary activity for photocatalytic H2 evolution. Under optimal conditions, the Cu0.4-ZnIn2S4 QDs could produce H2 with the rate of 144.4 μmol h−1 mg−1, 480-fold and 6-fold higher than that of pristine In2S3 QDs and Cu-doped In2S3 QDs counterparts respectively, which is even comparable with the state-of-the-art cadmium chalcogenides QDs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Photocatalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Applications)
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