In the present study, comparison of  photocatalytic activity of nanostructures semiconductor zinc oxide (ZnO) was prepared using the different methods on the degradation of organic dye such as methylene blue that was investigated. Previous studies have proved that such semiconductors can degrade most kinds of persistent organic pollutants, such as detergents, dyes, pesticides and volatile organ...

We exploit the utilization of two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum oxide nanoflakes as a co-catalyst for ZnO nanorods (NRs) to enhance their photocatalytic performance. The 2D nanoflakes of orthorhombic α-MoO3 were synthesized through a sonication-aided exfoliation technique. The 2D MoO3 nanoflakes can be further converted to substoichiometric quasi-metallic MoO3-x by using UV irradiation. Subsequen...

Hydrogen is the ideal fuel for the future because it is clean, energy efficient, and abundant in nature. While various technologies can be used to generate hydrogen, only some of them can be considered environmentally friendly. Recently, solar hydrogen generated via photocatalytic water splitting has attracted tremendous attention and has been extensively studied because of its great potential ...

A novel Ag2O/TiO2-modified chitosan-based photocatalytic film with high adsorption and photocatalytic activity was synthesized under simulated solar irradiation, based upon the coupling of the synergistic catalytic technique of nano Ag2O/TiO2 and membrane separation. XRD, XPS, FESEM, and TEM characterization results illustrated that the Ag2O nanoparticles with a small size of 3–5 nm deposited o...

A series of 2D layered isostructural coordination complexes {[M3(L)2(H2O)6]·H2O}n (M = Mn (1), Mn0.7Co0.3 (2), Mn0.5Co0.5 (3), Mn0.3Co0.7 (4), and Co (5), respectively, H3L = 1-aminobenzene-3,4,5-tricarboxylic acid) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions, and applied to catalyze the reaction of degenerating organic dyes under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic results in...

To elucidate the roles of graphene in photoelectric events and mass transfer during photocatalytic process is important for engineering graphene-semiconductor hybrid photocatalyst. Here, we demonstrated reduced graphene oxide (RGO) capturing dyes and photoinduced electrons during photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes in water. It captures dyes from water through adsorption and desorption i...

Novel plasmonic 0D Ag nanocrystal decorated 3D (BiO)2CO3 hierarchical microspheres were fabricated with a one-pot hydrothermal method. The as-prepared samples were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photolu...

In this study, an ultrasound-aided hydrothermal-impregnation method was used to synthesize three-dimensional (3D) urchin-like CdS-TiO2 nanostructures (UCTs) with variable CdS content. The photocatalytic efficiencies (for degrading limonene and toluene vapor) of UCTs synthesized using the ultrasound-aided process were greater than those of UCTs fabricated without ultrasound treatment. In additio...

A new Pyrex-based μ-reactor for photocatalytic and optical characterization experiments is presented. The reactor chamber and gas channels are microfabricated in a thin poly-silicon coated Pyrex chip that is sealed with a Pyrex lid by anodic bonding. The device is transparent to light in the UV-vis-near infrared range of wavelengths (photon energies between ~0.4 and ~4.1 eV). The absorbance of ...

Crystal facet engineering of semiconductors is of growing interest and an important strategy for fine-tuning solar-driven photocatalytic activity. However, the primary factor in the exposed active facets that determines the photocatalytic property is still elusive. Herein, we have experimentally achieved high solar photocatalytic activity in ultrathin BiOCl nanosheets with almost fully exposed ...