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13 pages, 4985 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unveiling the Photocatalytic Potential of BiAgOS Solid Solution for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

by Oumaima Ben Abdelhadi, Majid El Kassaoui, Hajar Moatassim, Ahmed Kotbi, Mohamed Balli, Omar Mounkachi and Mustapha Jouiad

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(23), 1869; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14231869 - 22 Nov 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1304

Abstract

The growing emphasis on green energy has spurred momentum in research and development within the field of photocatalytic materials, particularly for green hydrogen production. Among the most abundant oxides on Earth, oxychalcogenides stand out for their cost-effectiveness and ease of synthesis. In this [...] Read more.

The growing emphasis on green energy has spurred momentum in research and development within the field of photocatalytic materials, particularly for green hydrogen production. Among the most abundant oxides on Earth, oxychalcogenides stand out for their cost-effectiveness and ease of synthesis. In this context, we present an investigation of the potential use of BiAgOS as an efficient photocatalyst for hydrogen generation. Utilizing density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations, we computed its physical properties and assessed its photocatalytic performance. Specifically, using Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof corrections, our calculations yielded an appropriate electronic gap of ~1.47 eV necessary for driving the water-splitting reaction. Additionally, we obtained a very high optical absorption coefficient of ~5 × 10⁵/cm^–1 and an estimation of hydrogen generation yield of ~289.56 µmol∙g^–1. These findings suggest that BiAgOS holds promise for enabling the development of cheap, reliable, and highly efficient photocatalysts for hydrogen production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis)

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18 pages, 7530 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Synergistic Effect of Decoration and Doping in Silver/Strontium Titanate for Air Remediation

by Marcela Frías Ordóñez, Elisabetta Sacco, Marco Scavini, Giuseppina Cerrato, Alessia Giordana, Ermelinda Falletta and Claudia Letizia Bianchi

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(20), 1663; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14201663 - 16 Oct 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1117

Abstract

Strontium titanate (STO) and its variants have emerged as leading materials in photocatalysis, particularly for degrading nitrogen oxides (NOx), due to their non-toxic nature, structural adaptability, and exceptional thermal stability. Although the one-pot sol-gel method leads to high-quality photocatalysts, areas remain for improvement. [...] Read more.

Strontium titanate (STO) and its variants have emerged as leading materials in photocatalysis, particularly for degrading nitrogen oxides (NOx), due to their non-toxic nature, structural adaptability, and exceptional thermal stability. Although the one-pot sol-gel method leads to high-quality photocatalysts, areas remain for improvement. This study examines the impact of ethanol as a cosolvent in STO synthesis, focusing on optimizing the water-to-ethanol volume ratio. The findings reveal that a 1:3 ratio significantly enhances macropore formation and photocatalytic efficiency, achieving 42% NOx degradation under LED within three hours. Furthermore, incorporating 8.0 wt.% Ag into STO substantially improves visible light absorption and enables complete NOx elimination, thanks to enhanced charge separation and localized surface plasmon resonance. Even at high temperatures (1100 °C), the Ag-STO photocatalyst maintains partial activity, despite exceeding silver’s melting point. These results highlight the potential of STO-based materials for industrial applications, positioning them as a promising solution for effective NOx mitigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis)

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19 pages, 8946 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Facile Synthesis to Porous TiO₂ Nanostructures at Low Temperature for Efficient Visible-Light Degradation of Tetracycline

by Peng Lian, Aimiao Qin, Zhisen Liu, Hao Ma, Lei Liao, Kaiyou Zhang and Ning Li

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(11), 943; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14110943 - 27 May 2024

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1218

Abstract

In this study, nanoporous TiO₂ with hierarchical micro/nanostructures was synthesized on a large scale by a facile one-step solvothermal method at a low temperature. A series of characterizations was performed and carried out on the as-prepared photocatalysts, which were applied to the [...] Read more.

In this study, nanoporous TiO₂ with hierarchical micro/nanostructures was synthesized on a large scale by a facile one-step solvothermal method at a low temperature. A series of characterizations was performed and carried out on the as-prepared photocatalysts, which were applied to the degradation of the antibiotic tetracycline (TC). The results demonstrated that nanoporous TiO₂ obtained at a solvothermal temperature of 100 °C had a spherical morphology with high crystallinity and a relatively large specific surface area, composed of a large number of nanospheres. The nanoporous TiO₂ with hierarchical micro/nanostructures exhibited excellent photocatalytic degradation activity for TC under simulated sunlight. The degradation rate was close to 100% after 30 min of UV light irradiation, and reached 79% only after 60 min of visible light irradiation, which was much better than the photodegradation performance of commercial TiO₂ (only 29%). Moreover, the possible intermediates formed during the photocatalytic degradation of TC were explored by the density functional theory calculations and HPLC-MS spectra. Furthermore, two possible degradation routes were proposed, which provided experimental and theoretical support for the photocatalytic degradation of TC. In this study, we provide a new approach for the hierarchical micro/nanostructure of nanoporous TiO₂, which can be applied in industrial manufacturing fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis)

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14 pages, 3143 KiB

Open AccessArticle

LDH/MXene Synergistic Carrier Separation Effects to Improve the Photoelectric Catalytic Activities of Bi₂WO₆ Nanosheet Arrays

by Yuting Wang, Runhua Li, Jiaying Zhang, Liming Liu, Weiwei Huang and Yajun Wang

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(5), 477; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14050477 - 6 Mar 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1637

Abstract

Photoelectric catalysis is a green and efficient way to degrade pollutants, which has been paid more and more attention by researchers. Among them, Bi₂WO₃ has been proved to have excellent photocatalytic oxidation activity on its {001} facets. In this study, [...] Read more.

Photoelectric catalysis is a green and efficient way to degrade pollutants, which has been paid more and more attention by researchers. Among them, Bi₂WO₃ has been proved to have excellent photocatalytic oxidation activity on its {001} facets. In this study, {001}-oriented facets with high exposure were successfully integrated into Bi₂WO₆ nanoplate arrays (Bi₂WO₆ NAs) to create a photoelectrode. This structure was grown in situ on an indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate. To promote photogenerated carrier separation efficiency and reduce agglomeration of Bi₂WO₆ photocatalysts, the electrochemical deposition of NiFe–layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) and Ti₃C₂ (MXene) were introduced in this research to synergistically catalyze pollutant degradation. Morphology, spectral characterization, and electrochemical analysis jointly confirmed that the outstanding performance of hole capture behavior with LDH and electron conduction properties with MXene were the main reasons for the improvement in catalytic activity of the photoelectrode. Taking bisphenol A (BPA) as the model pollutant, the rate constant k of the NiFe-LDH/Ti₃C₂/Bi₂WO₆ NAs photoelectrode reaches 0.00196 min⁻¹ under photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) conditions, which is 4.5 times that of the pure Bi₂WO₆ NAs photoelectrode. This work provides a new way to improve the reaction kinetics of the PEC degradation of pollutants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis)

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21 pages, 7099 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Photocatalytic Synthesis of Coumarin Derivatives Using Visible-Light-Responsive Strawberry Dye-Sensitized Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles

by Mshari A. Alotaibi, Abdulrahman I. Alharthi, Talal F. Qahtan, Satam Alotibi, Amani M. Alansi and Md. Afroz Bakht

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(23), 3001; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13233001 - 22 Nov 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1769

Abstract

This study presents a novel method for the photocatalytic synthesis of 4-aryl-6-(3-coumarinyl) pyrimidin-2 (1H)-ones (a coumarin derivative) using strawberry dye-sensitized TiO₂ (SD-TiO₂) under visible light. The synthesis of 4-aryl-6-(3-coumarinyl) pyrimidin-2 (1H)-ones was achieved through a three-component, one-pot condensation reaction involving [...] Read more.

This study presents a novel method for the photocatalytic synthesis of 4-aryl-6-(3-coumarinyl) pyrimidin-2 (1H)-ones (a coumarin derivative) using strawberry dye-sensitized TiO₂ (SD-TiO₂) under visible light. The synthesis of 4-aryl-6-(3-coumarinyl) pyrimidin-2 (1H)-ones was achieved through a three-component, one-pot condensation reaction involving 3-acetyl coumarin, aldehydes, and urea, utilizing SD-TiO₂ as a reusable and innovative photocatalyst at room temperature. The resulting SD-TiO₂ photocatalyst was thoroughly characterized using FT-IR, XPS, XRD, SEM, and BET. The efficacy of SD-TiO₂ was evaluated by comparing it to pristine TiO₂ in terms of photocatalytic activity, and the optimal conditions for the synthesis process were determined. Notably, the SD-TiO₂ photocatalyst exhibited a maximum yield of the compound, reaching up to 96% in just 30 min with a catalyst concentration of 1 mg/mL. This yield surpasses traditional thermal procedures employing reflux conditions, where 1 mg/mL of SD-TiO₂ is sufficient to complete the reaction. The resulting 4-aryl-6-(3-coumarinyl) pyrimidin-2 (1H)-ones were further characterized using ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR. Moreover, the stability of the SD-TiO₂ photocatalyst was confirmed through recyclability experiments and spectroscopic characterization, demonstrating its practicality for up to three consecutive reaction cycles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis)

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13 pages, 5943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Situ Growth of CdZnS Nanoparticles@Ti₃C₂T_x MXene Nanosheet Heterojunctions for Boosted Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

by Zelin Li, Yang Zhao, Qinglin Deng, Xuhui Zhu, Yipeng Tan, Ziwen Feng, Hao Ji, Shan Zhang and Lingmin Yao

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(15), 2261; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13152261 - 6 Aug 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2166

Abstract

Using natural light energy to convert water into hydrogen is of great significance to solving energy shortages and environmental pollution. Due to the rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers after separation, the efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen production using photocatalysts is usually very low. Here, [...] Read more.

Using natural light energy to convert water into hydrogen is of great significance to solving energy shortages and environmental pollution. Due to the rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers after separation, the efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen production using photocatalysts is usually very low. Here, efficient CdZnS nanoparticles@Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanosheet heterojunction photocatalysts have been successfully prepared by a facile in situ growth strategy. Since the CdZnS nanoparticles uniformly covered the Ti₃C₂T_x Mxene nanosheets, the agglomeration phenomenon of CdZnS nanoparticles could be effectively inhibited, accompanied by increased Schottky barrier sites and an enhanced migration rate of photogenerated carriers. The utilization efficiency of light energy can be improved by inhibiting the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. As a result, under the visible-light-driven photocatalytic experiments, this composite achieved a high hydrogen evolution rate of 47.1 mmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹, which is much higher than pristine CdZnS and Mxene. The boosted photocatalytic performances can be attributed to the formed heterojunction of CdZnS nanoparticles and Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanosheets, as well as the weakened agglomeration effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis)

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22 pages, 5055 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Novel Semiconductor Cu(C₃H₃N₃S₃)₃/ZnTiO₃/TiO₂ for the Photoinactivation of E. coli and S. aureus under Solar Light

by Ximena Jaramillo-Fierro and María Fernanda Cuenca

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(1), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13010173 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1965

Abstract

The use of semiconductors for bacterial photoinactivation is a promising approach that has attracted great interest in wastewater remediation. The photoinactivator Cu-TTC/ZTO/TO was synthesized by the solvothermal method from the coordination complex Cu(C₃H₃N₃S₃)₃ (Cu-TTC) [...] Read more.

The use of semiconductors for bacterial photoinactivation is a promising approach that has attracted great interest in wastewater remediation. The photoinactivator Cu-TTC/ZTO/TO was synthesized by the solvothermal method from the coordination complex Cu(C₃H₃N₃S₃)₃ (Cu-TTC) and the hybrid semiconductor ZnTiO₃/TiO₂ (ZTO/TO). In this study, the effect of photocatalyst composition/concentration as well as radiation intensity on the photoinactivation of the gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and the gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus in aqueous solutions was investigated. The results revealed that 25 mg/mL of photoinactivator, in a Cu-TTC:ZTO/TO molar ratio of 1:2 (w/w%) presents a higher rate of bacterial photoinactivation under simulated solar light (λ = 300–800 nm) in comparison to the individual components. The evidence of this study suggests that the presence of the Cu(C₃H₃N₃S₃)₃ coordination complex in the ZnTiO₃/TiO₂ hybrid semiconductor would contribute to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are essential to initiate the bacterial photoinactivation process. Finally, the results obtained allow us to predict that the Cu-TTC/ZTO/TO photocatalyst could be used for effective bacterial inactivation of E. coli and S. aureus in aqueous systems under simulated solar light. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis)

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Review

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31 pages, 3109 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances toward Enhanced Photocatalytic Proprieties of BiFeO₃-Based Materials

by Yassine Nassereddine, Manal Benyoussef, Bouchra Asbani, Mimoun El Marssi and Mustapha Jouiad

Nanomaterials 2024, 14(1), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14010051 - 23 Dec 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3666

Abstract

Owing to their remarkable success in photocatalytic applications, multiferroic BiFeO₃ and its derivatives have gained a highly promising position as electrode materials for future developments of efficient catalysts. In addition to their appropriate band gaps, these materials exhibit inherent intrinsic polarizations enabling [...] Read more.

Owing to their remarkable success in photocatalytic applications, multiferroic BiFeO₃ and its derivatives have gained a highly promising position as electrode materials for future developments of efficient catalysts. In addition to their appropriate band gaps, these materials exhibit inherent intrinsic polarizations enabling efficient charge carrier separation and their high mobility without the need for additional co-catalysts. Here, we review the existing strategies for enhancing the photocatalytic performances of BiFeO₃-based materials and we describe the physico-chemical properties at the origin of their exceptional photocatalytic behavior. A special focus is paid to the degradation of organic pollutants and water splitting, both driven through photocatalysis to unveil the correlation between BiFeO₃ size, substitution, and doping on the one hand and the photocatalytic performances on the other hand. Finally, we provide practical recommendations for future developments of high-performing BiFeO₃-based electrodes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis)

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