Search Results (66)

Accelerated industrialization and surging energy demands have led to continuously rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. Developing sustainable methods to reduce atmospheric CO₂ levels is crucial for achieving carbon neutrality. Concurrently, the rapid development of new energy vehicles has driven a significant increase in demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which are now approaching an end-of-life peak. Efficient recycling of valuable metals from spent LIBs represents a critical challenge. This study employs conventional hydrometallurgical processing to recover valuable metals from spent LIBs. Subsequently, Ni-doped Co₃O₄ (Ni:Co₃O₄) supported on the natural mineral attapulgite (ATP) was synthesized via a sol–gel method. The incorporation of a small amount of Ni into the Co₃O₄ lattice generates oxygen vacancies, inducing a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, which significantly enhances charge carrier transport and separation efficiency. During the photocatalytic reduction of CO₂, the primary product CO generated by the Ni:Co₃O₄/ATP composite achieved a high production rate of 30.1 μmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹. Furthermore, the composite maintains robust catalytic activity even after five consecutive reaction cycles. Full article

Au-Ag alloy nanoshells (ANSs) were synthesized via chemical reduction, exhibiting superior plasmonic photocatalytic performance. TEM revealed uniform hollow structures (~80 nm), while EDS mapping confirmed homogeneous Au-Ag distribution throughout the shell. According to EDX analysis, the alloy contained 71.40% Ag by weight. XRD verified the formation of a substitutional solid solution without phase separation. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated using p-nitrothiophenol (PNTP) to 4,4′-dimercapto-azobenzene (DMAB) conversion monitored by SERS. UV-Vis spectroscopy showed LSPR peaks of ANSs between Au and Ag NPs, confirming effective alloying. Kinetic studies revealed that ANSs exhibited reaction rates 250–351 times higher than those of Au NPs and 5–10 times higher than those of Ag NPs. This resulted from the synergistic catalysis of Au-Ag and enhanced electromagnetic fields. ANSs demonstrated dual functionality as SERS substrates and photocatalysts, providing a foundation for developing multifunctional nanocatalytic materials. Full article

Nanoporous metals have garnered significant attention in catalysis due to their unique three-dimensional interconnected network structure and pronounced localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties. In this study, nanoporous Au–Ag shells with varying pore sizes (8, 10, 12, and 18 nm) were synthesized, and their catalytic efficiencies were systematically evaluated. The conversion of p-nitrothiophenol (PNTP) to dimercapto-azobenzene (DMAB) was used to investigate the influence of pore size on the reaction kinetics and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effects. Experimental results reveal that the nanoporous Au–Ag shells with a 12 nm pore size exhibit relatively high catalytic efficiency. Furthermore, tuning the pore size enables the modulation of LSPR in the near-infrared region. These findings highlight the critical role of pore size modulation in determining the photocatalytic performance of nanoporous metallic materials and provide valuable insights for the design and optimization of highly efficient photocatalysts. Full article

The development of efficient and sustainable photocatalysts for wastewater treatment remains a critical challenge in environmental remediation. In this study, a ternary photocatalyst, Cu-Cu₂O/g-C₃N₄, was synthesized by embedding copper-copper oxide heterostructural nanocrystals onto g-C₃N₄ nanosheets via a simple deposition method. Structural and optical characterization confirmed the successful formation of the heterostructure, which combines the narrow bandgap of Cu₂O, the high stability of g-C₃N₄, and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Cu nanoparticles. The photocatalytic performance was evaluated through the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in a photo-Fenton-like reaction system under visible light irradiation. Among the catalysts tested, the 30 wt% Cu-Cu₂O/g-C₃N₄ composite exhibited the highest catalytic efficiency, achieving a reaction rate constant approximately 3 times and 1.5 times higher than those of Cu-Cu₂O and g-C₃N₄, respectively. Mechanistic studies suggest that the heterostructure facilitates efficient charge separation and promotes the reduction of Cu²⁺ to Cu⁺, thereby enhancing ∙OH radical generation. The catalyst also demonstrated excellent stability and reusability across a wide pH range. These findings provide a new strategy for designing highly efficient photocatalysts for organic pollutant degradation, contributing to the advancement of advanced oxidation processes for environmental applications. Full article

Converting CO₂ greenhouse gases into high-value-added fuels via semiconductor photocatalysts is an ideal solution to address current environmental and energy issues. Due to its unique physicochemical traits and flexible structure, WO₃ is widely employed in photocatalysis. Nevertheless, it commonly faces problems such as limited light absorption and low reaction selectivity. Here, we effectively tackle the existing issue by introducing an oxygen defect strategy to synthesize two-dimensional WO_3−x nanosheets with rich oxygen vacancies. Due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), these nanosheets may exhibit broad light absorption and efficient CO₂ adsorption and activation. In the photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to carbon monoxide (CO), WO_3−x nanosheets exhibited 100% selectivity and 16.1 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ yield, 6.2 times higher than WO₃. Oxygen vacancies improve WO₃’s band structure and increase its capacity to absorb visible light. Based on electrochemical tests and fluorescence spectroscopy analysis, the outstanding functionality of WO_3−x nanosheets is related to the improved separation and transport of photocurrents and the restricted radiative recombination of the resulting electron pairs and holes. Full article

Constructing highly efficient catalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants driven by solar light in aquatic environments is a promising and green strategy. In this study, a novel hexagonal sheet-like Pt/SnS₂ heterojunction photocatalyst is successfully designed and fabricated using a hydrothermal method and photodeposition process for photocatalytic tetracycline (TC) degradation. The optimal Pt/SnS₂ hybrid behaves with excellent photocatalytic performance, with a degradation efficiency of 91.27% after 120 min, a reaction rate constant of 0.0187 min⁻¹, and durability, which can be attributed to (i) the formation of a metal/semiconductor interface field caused by loading Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on the surface of SnS₂, facilitating the separation of photo-induced charge carriers; (ii) the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Pt NPs, extending the light absorption range; and (iii) the sheet-like structure of SnS₂, which can shorten the transmission distance of charge carriers, thereby allowing more electrons (e⁻) and holes (h⁺) to transfer to the surface of the catalyst. This work provides new insights with the utilization of sheet-like structured materials for highly active photocatalytic TC degradation in wastewater treatment and environmental remediation. Full article

Water is the source of life on Earth. Therefore, water pollution is one of the greatest problems in the world. On this basis, the current study focuses on accelerating industrial pollutant removal from water using light by designing effective photocatalysts. This target was achieved through a triple-action effect. This effect depends on the integration of the doping process with nanotube formation in addition to the surface plasmon resonance of gold for titanium oxides. In this way, titanium oxide nanoparticles were prepared and converted to nanotubes during the doping process. These nanoparticles and nanotubes were supported by gold nanoparticles to use this triple-action effect for increasing charge carriers and active sites of the photocatalysts and preventing recombination reactions. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Raman spectra, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), and X-ray diffraction were used to clarify the triple-action effect on the structure of the photocatalysts. The optical properties and activity of the prepared photocatalysts were studied in terms of the photocatalytic degradation of the green dyes (acid green 1). The experimental results indicated that the triple-action effect has a strong positive role in increasing industrial pollutant removal with or without light. Here, the percentage of photocatalytic decomposition reached 100% after 17 min of light radiation. In addition, 27% of the pollutants were removed without light radiation. In conclusion, the current study indicated that the triple-action effect could solve the drawbacks of titanium oxide by creating new photo-active sites and novel tracks for charge carriers in addition to preventing recombination reactions. Full article

Converting carbon dioxide (CO₂) into high-value-added chemicals using solar energy is a promising approach to reducing carbon dioxide emissions; however, single photocatalysts suffer from quick the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs and poor photoredox ability. Herein, silver (Ag) nanoparticles featuring with localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) are combined with g-C₃N₄ to form a Schottky junction for photothermal catalytic CO₂ reduction. The Ag/g-C₃N₄ exhibits higher photocatalytic CO₂ reduction activity under UV-vis light; the CH₄ and CO evolution rates are 10.44 and 88.79 µmol·h⁻¹·g⁻¹, respectively. Enhanced photocatalytic CO₂ reduction performances are attributed to efficient hot electron transfer in the Ag/g-C₃N₄ Schottky junction. LSPR-induced hot electrons from Ag nanoparticles improve the local reaction temperature and promote the separation and transfer of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. The charge carrier transfer route was investigated by in situ irradiated X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (3D-FDTD) method verified the strong electromagnetic field at the interface between Ag and g-C₃N₄. The photothermal catalytic CO₂ reduction pathway of Ag/g-C₃N₄ was investigated using in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectra (DRIFTS). This study examines hot electron transfer in the Ag/g-C₃N₄ Schottky junction and provides a feasible way to design a plasmonic metal/polymer semiconductor Schottky junction for photothermal catalytic CO₂ reduction. Full article

The Localized Surface Plasmon (LSP) effect of 5 nm mean size Au particles deposited on TiO₂ P25 was investigated during the photo-thermal water gas shift reaction (WGSR). The effects of CO concentration, excitation light flux and energy, and molecular oxygen addition during the reaction were investigated. The photocatalytic WGSR rate under light excitation with wavelengths extending from 320 to 1100 nm was found to be higher than the thermal reaction alone at the same temperature (85 °C). A H₂/CO₂ ratio of near unity was found at high concentrations of CO. The addition of molecular oxygen during the reaction resulted in a slight decrease in molecular hydrogen production, while the rates of CO₂ formation and CO consumption changed by one order of magnitude. More importantly, it was found that the WGSR rates were still high under only visible light excitation (600–700 nm). The results prove that Au LSP alone triggers this chemical reaction without requiring the excitation of the semiconductor on which they are deposited. Full article

The heavy metal contamination of water systems has become a major environmental concern worldwide. Photocatalysis using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has emerged as a promising approach for heavy metal remediation, owing to the ability of MOFs to fully degrade contaminants through redox reactions that are driven by photogenerated charge carriers. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent developments in MOF-based photocatalysts for removing and decontaminating heavy metals from water. The tunable nature of MOFs allows the rational design of composition and features to enhance light harvesting, charge separation, pollutant absorptivity, and photocatalytic activities. Key strategies employed include metal coordination tuning, organic ligand functionalization, heteroatom doping, plasmonic nanoparticle incorporation, defect engineering, and morphology control. The mechanisms involved in the interactions between MOF photocatalysts and heavy metal contaminants are discussed, including light absorption, charge carrier separation, metal ion adsorption, and photocatalytic redox reactions. The review highlights diverse applications of MOF photocatalysts in treating heavy metals such as lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, silver, arsenic, nickel, etc. in water remediation. Kinetic modeling provides vital insights into the complex interplay between coupled processes such as adsorption and photocatalytic degradation that influence treatment efficiency. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is also crucial for evaluating the sustainability of MOF-based technologies. By elucidating the latest advances, current challenges, and future opportunities, this review provides insights into the potential of MOF-based photocatalysts as a sustainable technology for addressing the critical issue of heavy metal pollution in water systems. Ongoing efforts are needed to address the issues of stability, recyclability, scalable synthesis, and practical reactor engineering. Full article

The surface behavior of ZnO-based films can be modulated via the postannealing and ultraviolet (UV) illumination of different strengths and durations, respectively. The present results could provide the basis for modulating their microstructures with respect to the grain-size distribution and photocatalytic behavior, and act as a potential guide in the field of wide-bandgap semiconducting oxides. ZnO films were prepared at room temperature onto Corning-1737 glass substrates by applying radio-frequency magnetron sputtering without supplying an oxygen source. With the purpose of obtaining modulational grain microstructures, the as-prepared ZnO films (Z0) were treated via a postannealing modification in a vacuum furnace at 300 °C for 30 min after deposition (Z300), accompanied by adjustable internal stress. The contact angle (CA) value of the ZnO films was reduced from 95° to 68°, owing to the different grain microstructure accompanied by a change in the size variation. In addition, UV light with different illumination strengths could be used to improve the hydrophilicity, which varied from a hydrophobic status to a superhydrophilic status due to the desirable surface characteristics of its photocatalytic action. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of the ZnO films exhibited an effectual photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV illumination, with a chemical reaction constant of 2.93 × 10⁻³ min⁻¹. In this present work, we demonstrated that the CA value of the ZnO films not only caused a change from a hydrophobic to hydrophilic status, accompanied by a change in grain size combined with internal stress, but also, induced by the UV light illumination, was combined with photocatalytic activity simultaneously. On the other hand, an enhanced surface plasmonic resonance was observed, which was due to couple oscillations between the electrons and photons and was generated from the interface by using a flat, continuous Pt capping nanolayer. This designed structure may also be considered as a Pt electrode pattern onto ZnO (metal Pt/ceramic ZnO) for multifunctional, heterostructured sensors and devices in the near future. Full article

In this study, we utilized calcination and simple impregnation methods to successfully fabricate bare g-C₃N₄ (GCN) and x% Ag/g-C₃N₄ (x% AgGCN) composite photocatalysts with various weight percentages (x = 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt.%). The synthesized bare and composite photocatalysts were analyzed to illustrate their phase formation, functional group, morphology, and optical properties utilizing XRD, FT-IR, UV-Vis DRS, PL, FE-SEM, and the EDS. The photodegradation rate of MO under solar light irradiation was measured, and the 5% AgGCN composite photocatalyst showed higher photocatalytic activity (99%), which is very high compared to other bare and composite photocatalysts. The MO dye degradation rate constant with the 5% AgGCN photocatalyst exhibits 14.83 times better photocatalytic activity compared to the bare GCN catalyst. This photocatalyst showed good efficiency in the degradation of MO dye and demonstrated cycling stability even in the 5th successive photocatalytic reaction cycle. The higher photocatalytic activity of the 5% AgGCN composite catalyst for the degradation of MO dye is due to the interaction of Ag with GCN and the localized surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Ag. The scavenger study results indicate that O₂^●− radicals play a major role in MO dye degradation. A possible charge-transfer mechanism is proposed to explain the solar-light-driven photocatalyst of GCN. Full article

An Ag-modified TiO₂ nanomaterial was prepared by a one-pot synthesis method using tetra butyl titanate, silver nitrate, and sodium hydroxide in water at 473 K for 3 h. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to determine the structure and morphology of the synthesized Ag-modified TiO₂ nanomaterial. The diffuse reflectance UV-visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy results revealed that metallic Ag nanoparticles decreased the optical band gap and photoluminescence intensity of the TiO₂. In addition, the Raman peak intensity and absorbance were increased after Ag modification onto TiO₂. The photocatalytic efficiency of the synthesized samples was tested for decomposition of aqueous hydrazine solution under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic efficiency of Ag-modified TiO₂ nanomaterials was higher than that of bare TiO₂ and Ag metal NPs due to the synergistic effect between the Ag metal and TiO₂ structures. In addition, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) electron transfer from Ag metal particles to the conduction band of TiO₂ is responsible for superior activity of TiO₂-Ag catalyst. The Ag-modified TiO₂ nanomaterials offered a 100% H₂ selectivity within 30 min of reaction time and an apparent rate constant of 0.018 min⁻¹ with an activation energy of 34.4 kJ/mol under visible light radiation. Full article

Plasmonic gold (Au) and Au-based nanocatalysts have received significant attention over the past few decades due to their unique visible light (VL) photocatalytic features for a wide variety of chemical reactions in the fields of environmental protection. However, improving their VL photocatalytic activity via a rational design is prevalently regarded as a grand challenge. Herein we boosted the VL photocatalysis of the TiO₂-supported Au-Cu nanocatalyst by applying O₂ plasma to treat this bimetallic plasmonic nanocatalyst. We found that O₂ plasma treatment led to a strong interaction between the Au and Cu species compared with conventional calcination treatment. This interaction controlled the size of plasmonic metallic nanoparticles and also contributed to the construction of AuCu-TiO₂ interfacial sites by forming AuCu alloy nanoparticles, which, thus, enabled the plasmonic Au-Cu nanocatalyst to reduce the Schottky barrier height and create numbers of highly active interfacial sites. The catalyst’s characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated that boosted VL photocatalytic activity over O₂ plasma treated Au-Cu/TiO₂ nanocatalyst arose from the favorable transfer of hot electrons and a low barrier for the reaction between CO and O with the construction of large numbers of AuCu-TiO₂ interfacial sites. This work provides an efficient approach for the rational design and development of highly active plasmonic Au and Au-based nanocatalysts and deepens our understanding of their role in VL photocatalytic reactions. Full article

While various methods exist for synthesizing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), green synthesis has emerged as a promising approach due to its affordability, sustainability, and suitability for biomedical purposes. However, green synthesis is time-consuming, necessitating the development of efficient and cost-effective techniques to minimize reaction time. Consequently, researchers have turned their attention to photo-driven processes. In this study, we present the photoinduced bioreduction of silver nitrate (AgNO₃) to AgNPs using an aqueous extract of Ulva lactuca, an edible green seaweed. The phytochemicals found in the seaweed functioned as both reducing and capping agents, while light served as a catalyst for biosynthesis. We explored the effects of different light intensities and wavelengths, the initial pH of the reaction mixture, and the exposure time on the biosynthesis of AgNPs. Confirmation of AgNP formation was achieved through the observation of a surface plasmon resonance band at 428 nm using an ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed the presence of algae-derived phytochemicals bound to the outer surface of the synthesized AgNPs. Additionally, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images demonstrated that the NPs possessed a nearly spherical shape, ranging in size from 5 nm to 40 nm. The crystalline nature of the NPs was confirmed by selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), with Bragg’s diffraction pattern revealing peaks at 2θ = 38°, 44°, 64°, and 77°, corresponding to the planes of silver 111, 200, 220, and 311 in the face-centered cubic crystal lattice of metallic silver. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) results exhibited a prominent peak at 3 keV, indicating an Ag elemental configuration. The highly negative zeta potential values provided further confirmation of the stability of AgNPs. Moreover, the reduction kinetics observed via UV-vis spectrophotometry demonstrated superior photocatalytic activity in the degradation of hazardous pollutant dyes, such as rhodamine B, methylene orange, Congo red, acridine orange, and Coomassie brilliant blue G-250. Consequently, our biosynthesized AgNPs hold great potential for various biomedical redox reaction applications. Full article