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Catalysts
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Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis II
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Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis II

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 12956

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Amr Fouda

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Guest Editor
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo 11884, Egypt
Interests: green synthesis; nanomaterials; photocatalysis; environmental catalysts; bioremediation; nanobiotechnology; microbial biotechnology; wastewater treatment; heavy metal removal
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mohammed F. Hamza

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Professor of Chemistry (Applied Chemistry-Ore Processing and Extraction Technology), School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
Interests: biopolymer designing with micro and nanoscale size; organic synthesis and modifications; ore processing and extraction technology; radionuclides and heavy metals removal; physicochemical studies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Photocatalysis is a promising tool integrated into chemical, physical, and chemical engineering, as well as biological sciences. Photocatalysis is an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and highly efficient approach to dispose of various pollutants such as heavy metals, organic, inorganic, and microbial contaminations in presence of light and catalysts. It is also the key to producing clean fuels using artificial photosynthesis as a green approach. Nanomaterials are considered the best photocatalysts due to their properties including high stability, safety, low cost, and high photo-activity. The most efficient nanomaterials are semiconductors such as ZnO, TiO2, Fe2O3, WO3, and SrTiO3, to name a few. This phenomenon is due to their noteworthy photocatalytic activity and wide band gap in the visible region. Additionally, nanocomposites and conductive polymers with nanostructures were considered the best type for photocatalysis. The photocatalytic activity of these nanomaterials is attributed to their efficacy to produce electron–hole pairs upon absorption of light. These electron–hole pairs interact with the toxic substrate to generate free radicals, which subsequently react with water to produce various useful products.

This Special Issue of Catalysts will cover the recent progress in nanostructures for photocatalysis, including the synthesis of new and improved photocatalysts using chemical, physical, and biological approaches, new applications, and in-depth comprehension of reaction mechanisms. In this Special Issue, we aim to focus on the recent advances of photocatalysis science based on nanostructures by providing the newest ideas and results in this research field.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • Nanostructure photocatalysts for wastewater treatment.
  • Water splitting using nanomaterial photocatalysts for clean fuel resources.
  • Heavy metal removal in the presence/absence of light.
  • Nanomaterial photocatalysts for biological activity.
  • Synthesis of nanomaterials involved in photocatalysis.
  • CO2 reduction using nanomaterial photocatalysts.
  • Various nanostructures photocatalysts for cleaning environmental pollutants.
  • Self-cleaning surfaces using nanomaterial photocatalysts.
  • Factors affecting the activity of nanomaterial photocatalysts.
  • Bioremediation of environmental pollutants using nanomaterials in the presence/absence of light and their impacts on the eco-system.
  • Removal of organic pollutants using nanomaterial photocatalysts with referring to catalytic mechanisms.

Dr. Amr Fouda
Dr. Mohammed F. Hamza
Guest Editors

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

  • nanomaterial
  • nanocomposites
  • photocatalysts
  • green synthesis
  • environmental pollutants
  • biological activity
  • heavy metals
  • self-cleaning
  • clean fuel production

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

22 pages, 9647 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Degradation of Diclofenac by Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Quantum Dot-Graphitic Carbon Nitride (CNQD)
by Huzaikha Awang, Tim Peppel and Jennifer Strunk
Catalysts 2023, 13(4), 735; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13040735 - 13 Apr 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2664
Abstract
In this study nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots/graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet (CNQD) composites with different contents of nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs; 2, 4, 6, and 8 wt%) were synthesized. The morphological, physicochemical, and photoelectrochemical properties were investigated using complementary methods such as scanning [...] Read more.
In this study nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots/graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet (CNQD) composites with different contents of nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs; 2, 4, 6, and 8 wt%) were synthesized. The morphological, physicochemical, and photoelectrochemical properties were investigated using complementary methods such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV/Vis spectroscopy in diffuse reflectance (DRS), photoluminescence (PL), nitrogen physisorption (BET), photocurrent response, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized materials was assessed during diclofenac (DCF) degradation in an aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. As a result, improved photocatalytic efficiency in DCF degradation was observed for all the CNQD composites compared with bulk graphitic carbon nitride (bCN) and nanosheet g-C3N4 (CNS). The fastest DCF degradation was observed for the 6 wt% NCQD on the surface of CNS (CNQD-6), which removed 62% of DCF in 3 h, with an associated k value of 5.41 × 10−3 min−1. The performance test results confirmed the contribution of NCQDs to enhancing photocatalytic activity, leading to an improvement factor of 1.24 over bCN. The morphology of the CNS and the synergistic interaction between NCQDs and CNS were essential elements for enhancing photocatalytic activity. The photoelectrochemical data and photoluminescence analyses showed the efficient migration of photoexcited electrons from NCQDs to the CNS. The reduced charge recombination rates in CNQD photocatalysts might be due to the synergistic interaction between NCQDs and CNS and the unique up-conversion photoluminescence properties of NCQDs. Further investigations revealed that the photogenerated superoxide radicals (•O2−) predominated in the degradation of DCF, and this photocatalyst had good reusability and toxicity reduction abilities. This work provides insight into the effects of NCQDs on the CNS surface to enhance its potential to remove emerging organic pollutants from water and wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis II)
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11 pages, 2434 KiB  
Article
Hydrothermally Synthesized Ag@MoS2 Composite for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production
by Anuja A. Yadav, Yuvaraj M. Hunge, Ananta G. Dhodamani and Seok-Won Kang
Catalysts 2023, 13(4), 716; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13040716 - 10 Apr 2023
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 1959
Abstract
Photocatalytic hydrogen production is a green, cost-effective, simple, and pollution-free technology for the supply of clean energy, which plays an important role in alleviating the fossil fuel crisis caused by exponentially grown energy consumption. Therefore, designing highly visible-light-active novel photocatalyst materials for photocatalytic [...] Read more.
Photocatalytic hydrogen production is a green, cost-effective, simple, and pollution-free technology for the supply of clean energy, which plays an important role in alleviating the fossil fuel crisis caused by exponentially grown energy consumption. Therefore, designing highly visible-light-active novel photocatalyst materials for photocatalytic hydrogen production is a promising task. The production efficiency of photocatalyst can be improved by using noble metals, which are useful for the effective transfer of charge carriers. This study highlights the synergistic effect of the noble co-catalyst Ag on MoS2 during the investigation of photocatalytic hydrogen production. The hydrothermal method was used for the preparation of an Ag-MoS2 composite, and their structural and morphological characterizations were carried out using different physiochemical characterization techniques. The Ag-MoS2 composite shows an enhanced visible light absorption capacity and photocatalytic hydrogen production rate, as compared to that of pure MoS2, which proves that Ag nanoparticles (NPs) can act as efficient co-catalyst materials for photocatalytic hydrogen production with an improved rate of hydrogen production. Along with this, a possible working mechanism was proposed for visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production using the Ag@MoS2 composite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis II)
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22 pages, 4589 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Performance of Functionalized Biopolymer for Neodymium (III) Sorption and the Recovery from Leachate Solution
by Mohammed F. Hamza, Hamed Mira, Mahmoud S. Khalafalla, Ji Wang, Yuezhou Wei, Xiangbiao Yin, Shunyan Ning, Khalid Althumayri and Amr Fouda
Catalysts 2023, 13(4), 672; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13040672 - 30 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1446
Abstract
Successive grafting of new sorbent bearing amino phosphonic groups based on chitosan nano magnetite particles was performed through successive coupling with formaldehyde. The produced composite was characterized by the high sorption capacity toward rare earth elements (REEs) and consists of different types of [...] Read more.
Successive grafting of new sorbent bearing amino phosphonic groups based on chitosan nano magnetite particles was performed through successive coupling with formaldehyde. The produced composite was characterized by the high sorption capacity toward rare earth elements (REEs) and consists of different types of functional groups (phosphonic, hydroxyls and amine groups) that are used for enhancing the sorption properties. The chemical modification and the sorption mechanism were investigated through different analytical tools; i.e., FTIR, SEM, SEM-EDX, TGA, BET (surface area) and pHpzc. The sorption was investigated toward Nd(III) as one of the REE(III) members under ultraviolet (UV) and visible light (VL) conditions. The optimum sorption was found at pH0 4 and the sorption capacity was recorded at 0.871 and 0.779 mmol Nd g−1 under UV and VL respectively. Sorption isotherms and uptake kinetics were fitted by Langmuir and Sips and by pseudo-first order rate equation (PFORE) for the functionalized sorbent, respectively. The sorbent showed a relatively high-speed sorption kinetic (20 min). The bounded metal ions were progressively eluted using 0.2 M HCl solution with a desorption rate 10–15 min, while the loss in the total capacity after a series of sorption recycling (sorption/desorption) (five cycles) was limited (around 3%) with 100% of the desorption efficiency, indicating the high stability of the sorbent toward an acidic medium. The sorbent was used for the recovery of REEs from leach liquor residue after pretreatment for the extraction of particular elements. From these results (high loading capacity, high selectivity and high stability against acid treatments), we can see that the sorbent is a promising tool for the selective recovery of rare earth elements in the field of metal valorization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis II)
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19 pages, 4070 KiB  
Article
Photodegradation of Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin by Au@ZnONPs-MoS2-rGO Nanocomposites
by Abniel Machín, Loraine Soto-Vázquez, Diego García, María C. Cotto, Dayna Ortiz, Pedro J. Berríos-Rolón, Kenneth Fontánez, Edgard Resto, Carmen Morant, Florian Petrescu and Francisco Márquez
Catalysts 2023, 13(3), 538; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13030538 - 7 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2089
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the photocatalytic performance of diverse zinc oxide catalysts containing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) toward the degradation of the antibiotics levofloxacin (LFX) and ciprofloxacin (CFX) in aqueous solutions. The obtained [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the photocatalytic performance of diverse zinc oxide catalysts containing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) toward the degradation of the antibiotics levofloxacin (LFX) and ciprofloxacin (CFX) in aqueous solutions. The obtained results demonstrate that LFX is more resistant to degradation when compared with CFX and that the principal route of degradation under visible light is the formation of hydroxyl radicals. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements were employed to verify the inhibitory effect of electron–hole recombination when AuNPs, MoS2, and rGO are integrated into a semiconductor. The catalyst that achieved the highest percentage of CFX degradation was 1%Au@ZnONPs-3%MoS2-1%rGO, exhibiting a degradation efficiency of 96%, while the catalyst that exhibited the highest percentage of LFX degradation was 5%Au@ZnONPs-3%MoS2-1%rGO, displaying a degradation efficiency of 99.8%. A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis enabled the identification of reaction intermediates, facilitating the determination of a potential degradation pathway for both antibiotics. Additionally, recyclability assessments showed that the synthesized catalysts maintained stable photocatalytic efficiencies after 15 cycles, indicating that the heterostructures have the potential for further usage and may be tested with other organic contaminants as well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis II)
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13 pages, 2587 KiB  
Article
Palladium Nanoparticles Incorporated Fumed Silica as an Efficient Catalyst for Nitroarenes Reduction via Thermal and Microwave Heating
by Afaf Y. Khormi, Badria M. Al-Shehri, Fatimah A. M. Al-Zahrani, Mohamed S. Hamdy, Amr Fouda and Mohamed R. Shaaban
Catalysts 2023, 13(2), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13020445 - 19 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1896
Abstract
The reduction of nitroarenes to arylamines is a synthetically important transformation both in the laboratory and in industry. Herein, Palladium (Pd) nanoparticles were synthesized via incorporation with mesoporous fumed silica material by doping technique. Water was used as a solvent and the as-synthetized [...] Read more.
The reduction of nitroarenes to arylamines is a synthetically important transformation both in the laboratory and in industry. Herein, Palladium (Pd) nanoparticles were synthesized via incorporation with mesoporous fumed silica material by doping technique. Water was used as a solvent and the as-synthetized material was reduced by using NaBH4 to ensure the total transformation of PdO into Pd nanoparticles. The synthesized sample was characterized by using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) elemental analysis, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), N2 sorption measurement, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Data showed that the Pd nanoparticles were successfully synthesized and supported on the mesoporous silica with an average size in the ranges of 10–20 nm, with an irregular shape. The purity of the synthesized sample was confirmed by EDX analysis which exhibits the presence of Si, O, and Pd. The catalytic activity of the prepared sample was evaluated in the heterogeneous reduction of nitroarenes to aromatic amines. Reduction reaction was monitored by Shimadzu GC-17A gas chromatography (GC, Japan) equipped with flam ionization detector and RTX-5 column, 30 m × 0.25 mm, 1-μm film thickness. Helium was used as carrier gas at flow rate 0.6 mL/min. Interestingly, the green hydrogenation of nitroarenes to primary amine compounds was achieved in an aqueous solution with high efficiency and in a short time; moreover, the reusability of heterogeneous Pd-SiO2 was performed for four repeated cycles with more than 88% of efficiency at the fourth run. Finally, the heterogeneity of catalysis with high reliability and eco-friendly processes is a super new trend of nitroarenes reduction in the industry and economic scales. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis II)
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Review

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22 pages, 2956 KiB  
Review
Recent Progress in the Use of SnO2 Quantum Dots: From Synthesis to Photocatalytic Applications
by Babu Bathula, Thirumala Rao Gurugubelli, Jihyung Yoo and Kisoo Yoo
Catalysts 2023, 13(4), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13040765 - 17 Apr 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2491
Abstract
This review article provides current developments in SnO2 quantum dots (QDs) as effective catalysts over the last five years. SnO2 QDs are exceptional prospects for catalytic applications because of their high surface area, compact size, and tunable optical features. SnO2 [...] Read more.
This review article provides current developments in SnO2 quantum dots (QDs) as effective catalysts over the last five years. SnO2 QDs are exceptional prospects for catalytic applications because of their high surface area, compact size, and tunable optical features. SnO2 QDs have recently made strides in their production and functionalization, which has enabled successful use of them as photocatalytic catalysts. The basic concepts of SnO2 QDs, including their electrical and optical characteristics, are described in this review paper, along with the most current findings on their production and functionalization. Additionally, it covers the fundamental mechanisms that support SnO2 QDs’ catalytic activity and emphasizes the difficulties involved in using them as catalysts. Lastly, it offers a forecast for the direction of research in this quickly evolving topic. Overall, our analysis demonstrates SnO2 QDs’ potential as a successful and cutting-edge catalytic system in recent years. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis II)
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