Yuanhua Sang

A Bi2WO6‐Based Hybrid Photocatalyst with Broad Spectrum Photocatalytic Properties under UV, Visible, and Near‐Infrared Irradiation

Near-infrared active photocatalytic properties of Bi2 WO6 nanosheets owing to the oxygen vacancies of the Bi2 WO6 nanosheets are reported. The broad spectrum photocatalyst, Bi2 WO6 -TiO2 nanobelt heterostructures, are obtained by assembling Bi2 WO6 nanocrystals on TiO2 nanobelts. The active light band of the novel hybrid photocatalyst with high photocatalytic activity covers full-spectrum solar light including the UV, visible, and near-infrared ranges.

From UV to Near‐Infrared, WS2 Nanosheet: A Novel Photocatalyst for Full Solar Light Spectrum Photodegradation

Narrow-bandgap semiconductor WS2 nanosheets are active photocatalysts, either under visible or under NIR irradiation. The photocatalyst functions are confirmed via photogeneration of an electron-hole pair, with a low rate of recombination.

Three-Dimensional Hierarchical Frameworks Based on MoS2 Nanosheets Self-Assembled on Graphene Oxide for Efficient Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Advanced materials for electrocatalytic water splitting are central to renewable energy research. In this work, three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical frameworks based on the self-assembly of MoS2 nanosheets on graphene oxide were produced via a simple one-step hydrothermal process. The structures of the resulting 3D frameworks were characterized by using a variety of microscopic and spectroscopic tools, including scanning and transmission electron microscopies, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman scattering. Importantly, the three-dimensional MoS2/graphene frameworks might be used directly as working electrodes which exhibited apparent and stable electrocatalytic activity in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), as manifested by a large cathodic current density with a small overpotential of -107 mV (-121 mV when loaded on a glassy-carbon electrode) and a Tafel slope of 86.3 mV/dec (46.3 mV/dec when loaded on a glassy-carbon electrode). The remarkable performance might be ascribed to the good mechanical strength and high electrical conductivity of the 3D frameworks for fast charge transport and collection, where graphene oxide provided abundant nucleation sites for MoS2 deposition and oxygen incorporation led to the formation of defect-rich MoS2 nanosheets with active sites for HER.

Enhanced photocatalytic performances of CeO2/TiO2 nanobelt heterostructures.

CeO2 /TiO2 nanobelt heterostructures are synthesized via a cost-effective hydrothermal method. The as-prepared nanocomposites consist of CeO2 nanoparticles assembled on the rough surface of TiO2 nanobelts. In comparison with P25 TiO2 colloids, surface-coarsened TiO2 nanobelts, and CeO2 nanoparticles, the CeO2 /TiO2 nanobelt heterostructures exhibit a markedly enhanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of organic pollutants such as methyl orange (MO) under either UV or visible light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is attributed to a novel capture-photodegradation-release mechanism. During the photocatalytic process, MO molecules are captured by CeO2 nanoparticles, degraded by photogenerated free radicals, and then released to the solution. With its high degradation efficiency, broad active light wavelength, and good stability, the CeO2 /TiO2 nanobelt heterostructures represent a new effective photocatalyst that is low-cost, recyclable, and will have wide application in photodegradation of various organic pollutants. The new capture-photodegradation-release mechanism for improved photocatalysis properties is of importance in the rational design and synthesis of new photocatalysts.

Structure, Synthesis, and Applications of TiO2 Nanobelts

TiO2 semiconductor nanobelts have unique structural and functional properties, which lead to great potential in many fields, including photovoltaics, photocatalysis, energy storage, gas sensors, biosensors, and even biomaterials. A review of synthetic methods, properties, surface modification, and applications of TiO2 nanobelts is presented here. The structural features and basic properties of TiO2 nanobelts are systematically discussed, with the many applications of TiO2 nanobelts in the fields of photocatalysis, solar cells, gas sensors, biosensors, and lithium-ion batteries then introduced. Research efforts that aim to overcome the intrinsic drawbacks of TiO2 nanobelts are also highlighted. These efforts are focused on the rational design and modification of TiO2 nanobelts by doping with heteroatoms and/or forming surface heterostructures, to improve their desirable properties. Subsequently, the various types of surface heterostructures obtained by coupling TiO2 nanobelts with metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, chalcogenides, and conducting polymers are described. Further, the charge separation and electron transfer at the interfaces of these heterostructures are also discussed. These properties are related to improved sensitivity and selectivity for specific gases and biomolecules, as well as enhanced UV and visible light photocatalytic properties. The progress in developments of near-infrared-active photocatalysts based on TiO2 nanobelts is also highlighted. Finally, an outline of important directions of future research into the synthesis, modification, and applications of this unique material is given.

MoO2 nanobelts@nitrogen self-doped MoS2 nanosheets as effective electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction

Advanced materials for electrocatalytic water splitting are central to renewable energy research. In this study, MoO2 nanobelts@nitrogen self-doped MoS2 nanosheets are produced by nitridation and sulfuration treatments of MoO3 nanobelts. The material structures are characterized by a variety of techniques including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. It is found that because of nitrogen doping and the abundance of exposed active edges, the heterostructures exhibit high electronic conductivity, and more importantly, enhanced and stable electrocatalytic activity in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), as manifested in electrochemical studies. The onset potential is found to be only −156 mV (vs. RHE), which is 105 mV more positive than that of pure MoS2 under identical experimental conditions. The corresponding Tafel slope is estimated to be 47.5 mV dec−1, even slightly less than that of commercial 10 wt% Pt/C (49.8 mV dec−1), suggesting that the reaction dynamics is largely determined by the electrochemical desorption of hydrogen. This is accounted for by nitrogen doping that leads to an enhanced electronic conductivity of the heterostructures as well as a high density of spinning electron states around the N and Mo atoms in MoS2 nanosheets that are the active sites for HER, as manifested in density functional theory studies of a N-doped MoS2 monolayer.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Property of Reduced Graphene Oxide/TiO2 Nanobelt Surface Heterostructures Constructed by an In Situ Photochemical Reduction Method

A facile method is proposed to assemble graphene oxide (GO) on the surface of a TiO2 nanobelt followed by an in situ photocatalytic reduction to form reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/TiO2 nanobelt surface heterostructures. The special colloidal properties of GO and TiO2 nanobelt are exploited as well as the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 . Using water-ethanol solvent mixtures, GO nanosheets are tightly wrapped around the surface of the TiO2 nanobelts through an aggregation process and are then reduced in situ under UV-light irradiation to form rGO/TiO2 nanobelt surface heterostructures. The heterostructures enhance the separation of the photoinduced carriers, which results in a higher photocurrent due to the special electronic characteristics of rGO. Compared to TiO2 nanobelts, the rGO/TiO2 nanobelt surface heterostructures possess higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange and for the production of hydrogen from water, as well as excellent recyclability, with no loss of activity over five cycles.

Enhanced ferroelectric-nanocrystal-based hybrid photocatalysis by ultrasonic-wave-generated piezophototronic effect.

An electric field built inside a crystal was proposed to enhance photoinduced carrier separation for improving photocatalytic property of semiconductor photocatalysts. However, a static built-in electric field can easily be saturated by the free carriers due to electrostatic screening, and the enhancement of photocatalysis, thus, is halted. To overcome this problem, here, we propose sonophotocatalysis based on a new hybrid photocatalyst, which combines ferroelectric nanocrystals (BaTiO3) and semiconductor nanoparticles (Ag2O) to form an Ag2O-BaTiO3 hybrid photocatalyst. Under periodic ultrasonic excitation, a spontaneous polarization potential of BaTiO3 nanocrystals in responding to ultrasonic wave can act as alternating built-in electric field to separate photoinduced carriers incessantly, which can significantly enhance the photocatalytic activity and cyclic performance of the Ag2O-BaTiO3 hybrid structure. The piezoelectric effect combined with photoelectric conversion realizes an ultrasonic-wave-driven piezophototronic process in the hybrid photocatalyst, which is the fundamental of sonophotocatalysis.

Enhanced performance of layered titanate nanowire-based supercapacitor electrodes by nickel ion exchange.

Titania nanostructured materials have been used extensively for the fabrication of electrochemical capacitors. However, the devices typically exhibit relatively low capacitance and poor cycling stability. Herein, we report the synthesis of a core-shell heterostructure based on layered titanate nanowires coated with nickel hydroxide nanosheets on a titanium mesh, referred to as K2Ti4O9@Ni(OH)2/Ti, by a simple nickel ion exchange reaction. The incorporation of nickel into the titanate nanowires is confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements and elemental mapping. Scanning electron microscopic and transmission electron microscopic measurements show the formation of a highly porous network of the hybrid nanowires. Electrochemical studies show that the K2Ti4O9@Ni(OH)2/Ti electrodes possess a high specific capacitance of 340 mF/cm(2) at 50 mV/s in an aqueous electrolyte of 3 M KOH and 3 mF/cm(2) at 0.04 mA/cm(2) in the KOH/PVA solid-state electrolyte, with an excellent retention rate of 92.5% after 2000 cycles and 92.7% after 10 000 cycles, respectively. Such a performance is a few tens of times better than that of the unmodified K2Ti4O9/Ti electrode. The enhanced capability of the chemically modified titanate electrodes may open up new opportunities in the development of low-cost, high-performance, and flexible supercapacitors.

Photocatalysis from UV/Vis to Near‐Infrared Light: Towards Full Solar‐Light Spectrum Activity

Owing to extensive industrial revolutions, the harvesting of sunlight for environmental remediation has attracted extensive attention and a number of potential photocatalysts have been reported. These photocatalysts were prepared according to their effectiveness under various light irradiations, that is, from UV/Vis to near‐infrared (NIR) regions and finally to full solar light spectrum. This review briefly summarizes recent progress in the enhancement of photocatalytic activities of prepared photocatalysts under various light irradiations. To understand the photocatalytic process, photocatalytic mechanisms and band‐structure engineering are discussed in detail in this review. Moreover, various effective photocatalysts are taken as examples of the photocatalytic process under various light irradiations. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of photocatalysis under different lights irradiations are presented.