Ximiao Zhu

Microemulsion Synthesis, Characterization of Highly Visible Light Responsive Rare Earth-Doped Bi2O3

In this paper, Bi2O3 and rare earth (La, Ce)‐doped Bi2O3 visible‐light‐driven photocatalysts were prepared in a Triton X‐100/n‐hexanol/cyclohexane/water reverse microemulsion. The resulting materials were characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, photoluminescence spectra (PLS) and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The XRD patterns of the as‐prepared catalysts calcined at 500°C exhibited only the characteristic peaks of monoclinic α‐Bi2O3. PLS analysis implied that the separation efficiency for electron‐hole has been enhanced when Bi2O3 was doped with rare earth. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy measurements presented an extension of light absorption into the visible region. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by degradation of methyl orange (MO) and 2,4‐dichlorophenol (2,4‐DCP). The results displayed that the photocatalytic activity of rare earth‐doped Bi2O3 was higher than that of dopant‐free Bi2O3. The optimal dopant amount of La or Ce was 1.0 mol%. And the mechanisms of influence on the photocatalytic activity of the catalysts were discussed.

Synergistic Degradation of Eosin Y by Photocatalysis and Electrocatalysis in UV Irradiated Solution Containing Hybrid BiOCl/TiO2 Particles

The present work focused on treatment of eosin (EO) by photocatalysis (PC) combined with electrocatalysis (EC) process. Bismuth oxychloride/titanium dioxide (BiOCl/TiO2) hybrid particles, which were used as new heterogeneous photocatalysts, were exploited in a reverse microemulsion approach and were characterized by XRD, UV–Vis diffuse spectra, BET, and SEM technologies. All degradation experiments were performed using a self-assemble experimental setup, in which PC and EC could be carried out simultaneously or individually. The results indicated that BiOCl/TiO2 showed enhanced photocatalytic performance under UV irradiation, and 50% BiOCl/TiO2 exhibited the best photoactivity due to its high degree of crystallization, the mesoporous structure and corresponding large special surface area, improved absorption ability in UV region, and the heterojunction formed between two coupling particles. The combined degradation process displayed synergistic effect on the degradation of EO owing to the generation of H2O2 at graphite cathode. The parameters such as, pH, reaction current, and initial concentration of EO were monitored in order to optimize the operating conditions. Pseudo-first-order kinetics was proposed and roughly fitted the combined degradation of EO. The combined system in this work suggested a new research idea for the degradation of dye wastewater.

Low-Temperature Reverse Microemulsion Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Performance of Nanocrystalline Titanium Dioxide

Nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) was synthesized in microemulsions by using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. In order to investigate the crystal transformation and photoactivity at low temperature, the as-prepared precipitates were aged at 65°C or calcined at various temperatures. Analyses using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared microscopy (FT-IR) showed that precursors without aging or calcination were noncrystal and adsorbed by surfactant. After aging for 6 h, the amorphous TiO2 began to change into anatase. The obtained catalysts, which were synthesized in microemulsions with weight ratios of n-hexanol/CTAB/water as 6 : 3 : 1 and calcined at 500°C, presented the highest photocatalytic degradation rate on methyl orange (MO), while the catalysts, which were aged at 65°C for 90 h, also exhibited an outstanding photocatalytic performance and a little higher than that of the commercial titania photocatalyst Degussa P25.

Synthesis of BiOI-TiO2 Composite Nanoparticles by Microemulsion Method and Study on Their Photocatalytic Activities

This study was conducted to synthesize a series of nanosized BiOI-TiO2 catalysts to photodegrade Bisphenol A solution. The BiOI-TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized in the reverse microemulsions, consisting of cyclohexane, Triton X-100, n-hexanol, and aqueous salt solutions. The synthesized particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface analyzer, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible light (UV-Vis) absorption spectra and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The photodegradation of Bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous suspension under visible light irradiation was investigated to explore the feasibility of using the photocatalytic method to treat BPA wastewater. The effects of different molar ratios of BiOI to TiO2 on the photocatalytic activity were discussed. The experimental results revealed that the photocatalytic effect of the BiOI-TiO2 particles was superior to the commercial P25 TiO2. The BPA degradation could be approached by a pseudo-first-order rate expression. The observed reaction rate constant (k obs) was related to nanoparticles dosage and initial solution pH.

CTAB-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis of Bi2Sn2O7 Photocatalyst and Its Highly Efficient Degradation of Organic Dye under Visible-Light Irradiation

Pyrochlore-type Bi2Sn2O7 (BSO) nanoparticles have been prepared by a hydrothermal method assisted with a cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). These BSO products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results indicated that CTAB alters the surface parameters and the morphology and enhances the photoinduced charge separation rate of BSO. The photocatalytic degradation test using rhodamine B as a model pollutant showed that the photocatalytic activity of the BSO assisted with CTAB was two times that of the reference BSO. Close investigation revealed that the size, the band gap, the structure, and the existence of impurity level played an important role in the photocatalytic activities.

Plasmonic Ag-pillared rectorite as catalyst for degradation of 2,4-DCP in the H2O2-containing system under visible light irradiation.

This study aims at photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-DCP with the assistance of H2O2 in aqueous solution by a composite catalyst of Ag-rectorite. The catalysts were prepared via a novel thermal decomposition method followed after the cation-exchange process. The synthesized nano-materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface analyzer, Ultraviolet-visible light (UV-vis) absorption spectra, field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The different mechanisms of degradation process with or without visible light irradiation were discussed, respectively. Moreover, the degradation efficiency of 2,4-DCP wastewater under Ag-rectorite/H2O2/visible light system was investigated by series of experiments, concerning on effects of major operation factors, such as H2O2 dosage and the initial pH value. The highest degradation rate was observed when adding 0.18 mL H2O2 into 50 mL 2,4-DCP solution, and the optimal pH value was 4 for the reaction. Afterwards, total organic carbon (TOC) experiments were carried out to evaluate the mineralization ratio of 2,4-DCP.