Wen-Hsin Chung

Controlled hydrothermal synthesis of BiOxCly/BiOmIn composites exhibiting visible-light photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet

A series of BiOxCly/BiOmIn composites were prepared using autoclave hydrothermal methods. The composition and morphologies of the BiOxCly/BiOmIn composites were controlled by adjusting the experimental conditions: the reaction pH value, temperature, and KCl/KI molar ratio. The products were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy-electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface areas, cathodoluminescence, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The photocatalytic efficiencies of composite powder suspensions were evaluated by monitoring the crystal violet (CV) concentrations. In addition, the quenching effects of various scavengers indicated that the reactive O2(-) played a major role, and OH or h(+) played a minor role in CV degradation. The intermediates formed during the decomposition process were isolated, identified, and characterized using high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry to elucidate the CV decomposition mechanism.

Degradation pathways of crystal violet by Fenton and Fenton-like systems: Condition optimization and intermediate separation and identification

The main advantage of Fentons reagent (FR) over other OH systems is its simplicity. FR has the potential for widespread use in treating wastewater, but compared to other OH systems, little information on the dye degradation pathways of FR exists. The degradation of crystal violet (CV), a triphenylmethane dye, by FR was determined as a function of reagent concentration and ratio and pH in the batch treatment. The experimental results showed the optimum Fe(2+)/H(2)O(2) ratio to be 0.5mM:50mM and the optimum Fe(3+)/H(2)O(2) ratio to be 1mM:50mM. Optimal pH was about 3. To obtain a better understanding of the mechanistic details of Fenton reagents degradation of CV dye, the intermediates of the process were separated, identified, and characterized by HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS and GC-MS techniques in this study. Indications were that the probable degradation pathways were N-de-methylation and cleavage of the conjugated chromophore structure. The intermediates were generated in the order of the reaction time and relative concentration, indicating that the N-de-methylation degradation of CV dye is a major reaction pathway. The reaction mechanisms proposed in this research should prove useful for future application of the technology to the decolorization of dyes.

A series of BiOxIy/GO photocatalysts: synthesis, characterization, activity, and mechanism

A series of bismuth oxyiodide (BiOxIy)-grafted graphene oxide (GO) sheets with different GO contents were synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method. This is the first report where four composites of BiOI/GO, Bi4O5I2/GO, Bi7O9I3/GO, and Bi5O7I/GO have been characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy energy-dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The assembled BiOxIy/GO composites exhibited excellent photocatalytic activities in the degradation of crystal violet (CV) under visible light irradiation. The order of rate constants was as follows: Bi7O9I3/GO > Bi4O5I2/GO > Bi4O5I2 > Bi7O9I3 > Bi5O7I/GO > BiOI/GO > BiOI > Bi5O7I > GO. The photocatalytic activity of the Bi7O9I3/GO (or Bi4O5I2/GO) composite reached a maximum rate constant of 0.351 (or 0.322) h−1, which was 1.8 (or 1.7) times higher than that of Bi7O9I3 (or Bi4O5I2), 6–7 times higher than that of BiOI/GO, and 119–130 times higher than that of BiOI. The quenching effects of different scavengers and electron paramagnetic resonance demonstrated that the superoxide radical (O2˙−) played a major role and holes (h+) and hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) played a minor role as active species in the degradation of crystal violet (CV) and salicylic acid (SA). Possible photodegradation mechanisms are proposed and discussed in this research.

Determining the degradation efficiency and mechanisms of ethyl violet using HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS and GC-MS.

BackgroundThe discharge of wastewater that contains high concentrations of reactive dyes is a well-known problem associated with dyestuff activities. In recent years, semiconductor photocatalysis has become more and more attractive and important since it has a great potential to contribute to such environmental problems. One of the most important aspects of environmental photocatalysis is in the selection of semiconductor materials like ZnO and TiO2, which are close to being two of the ideal photocatalysts in several respects. For example, they are relatively inexpensive, and they provide photo-generated holes with high oxidizing power due to their wide band gap energy. In this work, nanostructural ZnO film on the Zn foil of the Alkaline-Manganese Dioxide-Zinc Cell was fabricated to degrade EV dye. The major innovation of this paper is to obtain the degradation mechanism of ethyl violet dyes resulting from the HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS analyses.ResultsThe fabrication of ZnO nanostructures on zinc foils with a simple solution-based corrosion strategy and the synthesis, characterization, application, and implication of Zn would be reported in this study. Other objectives of this research are to identify the reaction intermediates and to understand the detailed degradation mechanism of EV dye, as model compound of triphenylmethane dye, with active Zn metal, by HPLC-ESI-MS and GC-MS.ConclusionsZnO nanostructure/Zn-foils had an excellent potential for future applications on the photocatalytic degradation of the organic dye in the environmental remediation. The intermediates of the degradation process were separated and characterized by the HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS and GC-MS, and twenty-six intermediates were characterized in this study. Based on the variation of the amount of intermediates, possible degradation pathways for the decolorization of dyes are also proposed and discussed.