Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles toward highly efficient photocatalysis and antibacterial application

• Vo Thi Thu Nhu,
• Nguyen Duy Dat,
• Le-Minh Tam and
• Nguyen Hoang Phuong

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1108–1119, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.94

• technologies have been proposed to remove organic pollutants from water, including coagulation coupled with sedimentation, biological processes, membrane filtration, adsorption, advanced oxidation, catalysis, and photocatalysis [1][2][3]. Using semiconductors as photocatalysts has been a widely studied

• photocatalysts. ZnO has a higher quantum efficiency than that of TiO2 since it absorbs more energy in the UV region [4][5][6][7]. Furthermore, ZnO is a low-cost photocatalyst with high photocatalytic activity, nontoxicity, light sensitivity, and stability [8][9][10]. The photodegradation of organic substances by

• and zinc chloride salt. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized ZnO material against Escherichia coli (E. coli) was studied. In addition, the study also determined the ability of ZnO NPs to act as photocatalysts and to degrade dyes including MB and methyl orange (MO). Experimental Design

Spindle-like MIL101(Fe) decorated with Bi₂O₃ nanoparticles for enhanced degradation of chlortetracycline under visible-light irradiation

• Chen-chen Hao,
• Fang-yan Chen,
• Kun Bian,
• Yu-bin Tang and
• Wei-long Shi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1038–1050, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.91

• . The intermediate products were analyzed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), and a possible photocatalytic degradation path of CTC was proposed. This work provides a new perspective for the preparation of efficient MOF-based photocatalysts. Keywords: Bi2O3; chlortetracycline; metal

• –organic frameworks; MIL101(Fe); photocatalysts; Z-scheme heterojunction; Introduction Tetracyclines, as the second most widely used antibiotic in the world, have been widely applied in clinics, aquaculture, and livestock due to its broad-spectrum antibacterial properties and low price [1][2

• efficient photocatalysts for CTC degradation. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a kind of micro- or mesoporous materials established by the self-assembly of organic linkers and metal-cluster or metal-ion nodes [19]. The MOF materials possess large surface areas, high pore volume, tunability, uniform

Solar-light-driven LaFe_xNi_1−xO₃ perovskite oxides for photocatalytic Fenton-like reaction to degrade organic pollutants

• Chao-Wei Huang,
• Shu-Yu Hsu,
• Jun-Han Lin,
• Yun Jhou,
• Wei-Yu Chen,
• Kun-Yi Andrew Lin,
• Yu-Tang Lin and
• Van-Huy Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 882–895, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.79

• decompose the methylene blue molecules. Accordingly, the synthesis condition of pH 0, calcination temperature at 700 °C, and Fe/Ni ratio = 7/3 could form LaFe0.7Ni0.3O3 perovskite oxides as highly efficient photocatalysts. Moreover, various conditions during the photocatalytic degradation were verified

• ]. LaFeO3 perovskite oxides are promising materials to conduct Fenton-like oxidation to decompose organic pollutants with light irradiation. Some literature exhibits the capability of LaFeO3 perovskite oxides as photocatalysts to degrade organic contaminants. Li et al. prepared intrinsic LaFeO3 or SmFeO3

• precursor for VOCs combustion [32], hydrogen production from ethanol [33], hydrocarbon fuels production from CO2 and H2O [34], syngas production from dry reforming [35], steam reforming of methane [36], or combined reforming of methane with CO2 and O2 [37]. Meanwhile, LaNiO3 photocatalysts also played an

Hierarchical Bi₂WO₆/TiO₂-nanotube composites derived from natural cellulose for visible-light photocatalytic treatment of pollutants

• Zehao Lin,
• Zhan Yang and
• Jianguo Huang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 745–762, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.66

• method for the reduction of Cr(VI) into Cr(III) due to its high efficiency, energy-saving, and nonpolluting advantages [4]. Among the various photocatalysts, traditional titania (TiO2) photocatalysts have received great attention due to their high reactivity, excellent stability, and nontoxicity [5][6][7

• -responsive semiconductors with suitable band structures provides a pathway for the advancement of highly efficient photocatalysts [9]. It has been demonstrated that the assembly of various nanoscale building blocks to form the corresponding nanoarchitectonics provides an ideal pathway for the syntheses of a

• large variety of functional materials [10][11][12][13][14][15]; in particular, for the fabrication of specific catalytic materials [16][17][18][19]. Recently, several bismuth-based photocatalysts have drawn extensive attention owing to their unique band structures and excellent stability against

A comprehensive review on electrospun nanohybrid membranes for wastewater treatment

• Senuri Kumarage,
• Imalka Munaweera and
• Nilwala Kottegoda

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 137–159, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.10

Tin dioxide nanomaterial-based photocatalysts for nitrogen oxide oxidation: a review

• Viet Van Pham,
• Hong-Huy Tran,
• Thao Kim Truong and
• Thi Minh Cao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 96–113, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.7

• working scheme of semiconductor photocatalysts for NO oxidation. Light generates holes (h+) in the valence band (VB) and electrons (e–) in the conduction band (CB) of the photocatalytic material. Electrons at the material surface will react with oxygen molecules to form superoxide radicals (•O2

• to the reduction of O2 to •O2− [31][33] and the rapid recombination rate of photoinduced electron–hole pairs [34], the photocatalytic ability of SnO2 is less efficient than that of other semiconductor photocatalysts (Figure 2b). Despite literature relating to the unfavorable CB edge of SnO2, many

• reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) [35][36][37][38][39][40]. This promotes a new avenue for diverse analyses of semiconductor photocatalysts in addition to the traditional theories and conclusions. Previous studies have shown that the photocatalytic activity of NOx decomposition of materials in general and SnO2

Self-assembly of amino acids toward functional biomaterials

• Huan Ren,
• Lifang Wu,
• Lina Tan,
• Yanni Bao,
• Yuchen Ma,
• Yong Jin and
• Qianli Zou

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1140–1150, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.85

• photosensitizers and limit their severe self-aggregation. Dopamine was chosen as the model substrate to illustrate the photooxidative properties of nanocapsules. After illumination, dopamine is converted to leucine on the nanocapsules. Hence, nanocapsules can be used as photocatalysts to improve the

Nanoporous and nonporous conjugated donor–acceptor polymer semiconductors for photocatalytic hydrogen production

• Zhao-Qi Sheng,
• Yu-Qin Xing,
• Yan Chen,
• Guang Zhang,
• Shi-Yong Liu and
• Long Chen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 607–623, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.50

• Conjugated polymers (CPs) as photocatalysts have evoked substantial interest. Their geometries and physical (e.g., chemical and thermal stability and solubility), optical (e.g., light absorption range), and electronic properties (e.g., charge carrier mobility, redox potential, and exciton binding energy) can

• tuning the bandgap, enlarging the surface area, enabling more efficient separation of electron–hole pairs, and enhancing the charge carrier mobility. In particular, donor–acceptor (D–A) polymers were demonstrated as a promising platform to develop high-performance photocatalysts due to their easily

• units. The challenges and prospects associated with D–A polymer-based photocatalysts are described as well. Keywords: π-conjugated polymeric photocatalysts; donor–acceptor junctions; nanostructure semiconductors; photocatalytic hydrogen production; Introduction To date, fossil fuels still are the

Boosting of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution via chlorine doping of polymeric carbon nitride

• Malgorzata Aleksandrzak,
• Michalina Kijaczko,
• Wojciech Kukulka,
• Daria Baranowska,
• Martyna Baca,
• Beata Zielinska and
• Ewa Mijowska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 473–484, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.38

• visible light compared to catalysts doped with one heteroatom [39]. Other studies showed that S- and P-doped photocatalysts showed significantly increased photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue under visible light compared to bulk PCN. The improvement was attributed to lone-pair

• three cycles of light on–off, the performance of both electrodes tends to stabilize, indicating that the photocatalysts are stable under visible-light irradiation [55]. The measurements obtained from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are shown in Figure 9b. It is known that the arc radius of

• . Fabricated 2D nanomaterials were used as photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution from water splitting. It was found that the Cl-modification had an effect on the photocatalytic efficiency. Also, main aspects were revealed: (i) a unique location of Cl atoms at the interlayers of PCN and not on its π-conjugated

Unravelling the interfacial interaction in mesoporous SiO₂@nickel phyllosilicate/TiO₂ core–shell nanostructures for photocatalytic activity

• Bridget K. Mutuma,
• Xiluva Mathebula,
• Isaac Nongwe,
• Bonakele P. Mtolo,
• Boitumelo J. Matsoso,
• Rudolph Erasmus,
• Zikhona Tetana and
• Neil J. Coville

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1834–1846, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.165

• were used as photocatalysts for the degradation of methyl violet dye and the degradation efficiencies were found to be 72% and 99% for the mSiO2@NiPS and the mSiO2@NiPS/TiO2 nanostructures, respectively. Furthermore, a recyclability test revealed good stability and recyclability of the mSiO2@NiPS/TiO2

• the core–shell nanostructure and yielded superior photocatalytic properties. Keywords: bandgap energy; core–shell; dye degradation; nickel phyllosilicate; photocatalysts; Introduction Textile dyes and organic compounds are major water pollutants, which create an environmental hazard to aquatic

• efficient, reliable, and eco-friendly water-treatment and decontamination techniques in order to mitigate this issue [3][4]. Among the various techniques, the use of semiconducting photocatalysts for light-stimulated degradation of dye pollutants has been extensively investigated [5]. Owing to its chemical

Nanocasting synthesis of BiFeO₃ nanoparticles with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

• Thomas Cadenbach,
• Maria J. Benitez,
• A. Lucia Morales,
• Cesar Costa Vera,
• Luis Lascano,
• Francisco Quiroz,
• Alexis Debut and
• Karla Vizuete

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1822–1833, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.164

• the complete mineralization of dyes is achieved by the generation of hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals [10][11]. Traditional photocatalysts, such as TiO2 or ZnO, provide chemical stability and facile preparation methods [12][13]. However, their environmental benefit in large-scale industrial

• photocatalysts with narrow bandgaps in the visible-light region in combination with a slow electron–hole recombination has attracted a great deal of interest [18]. Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) is one of those photocatalysts and has been intensively researched in the past few years due to its narrow bandgap in the

• lead to a decrease in photocatalytic activity due to crystal defects and local distortions altering the skin layer of the BiFeO3 photocatalysts [28][53][56]. From this results we conclude that the nanocasting method for the synthesis of BiFeO3 does not only produce pure-phase, uniform BiFeO3 with a

High-responsivity hybrid α-Ag₂S/Si photodetector prepared by pulsed laser ablation in liquid

• Raid A. Ismail,
• Hanan A. Rawdhan and
• Duha S. Ahmed

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1596–1607, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.142

• ][6]. Silver sulfide nanoparticles (NPs) are extensively used in many applications, such as photoconductors, solar cells, infrared (IR) photodetectors, biosensors, photocatalysts, and probes [7][8][9]. A number of techniques have been used to synthesize nanostructured Ag2S, including facile

Cu₂O nanoparticles for the degradation of methyl parathion

• Juan Rizo,
• David Díaz,
• Benito Reyes-Trejo and
• M. Josefina Arellano-Jiménez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1546–1555, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.137

• degradation time while increasing the degradation efficacy. Our results suggest that the surface basicity of Cu2O NPs leads to degradation of MP without the need of other chemical substances or the use of photocatalysts that generate free radicals. The presence of free radicals is undesired since there is a

Effect of Ag loading position on the photocatalytic performance of TiO₂ nanocolumn arrays

• Jinghan Xu,
• Yanqi Liu and
• Yan Zhao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 717–728, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.59

• ) of Ag and the absorption of light by TiO2. These results represent a promising step forward to the development of high-performance photocatalysts for energy conversion and storage. Keywords: anodic aluminum oxide template; nanocolumn arrays; photocatalysis; surface plasmon resonance; Introduction

Synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic performance of 0D/2D CuO/tourmaline composite photocatalysts

• Changqiang Yu,
• Min Wen,
• Zhen Tong,
• Shuhua Li,
• Yanhong Yin,
• Xianbin Liu,
• Yesheng Li,
• Tongxiang Liang,
• Ziping Wu and
• Dionysios D. Dionysiou

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 407–416, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.31

• tourmaline-based functional composite photocatalysts for the treatment of organic contaminants in water. Keywords: 0D/2D CuO; organic contaminants; photocatalytic activity; photoinduced charge separation; tourmaline; Introduction Developing a novel semiconductor with excellent photoreactive activity toward

• the treatment of organic contaminants in wastewater is in urgent need owing to the deterioration of the ecological environment [1]. Metal oxides, such as ZnO [2], TiO2 [3], Fe2O3 [4], and CuO [5], have been demonstrated to be promising photocatalysts. In particular, the band gap energy (Eg) of the p

• way to promote the photocatalytic activity of CuO by coupling with the polar mineral tourmaline, and provides an ideal example for the development of easily synthesized and low-cost tourmaline-based photocatalysts. The morphology, microstructure, pore structure, optical properties, and durability of

Improved adsorption and degradation performance by S-doping of (001)-TiO₂

• Xiao-Yu Sun,
• Xian Zhang,
• Xiao Sun,
• Ni-Xian Qian,
• Min Wang and
• Yong-Qing Ma

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 2116–2127, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.206

• spectra (UV–vis DRS) of the samples were measured on a Shimadazu U-4100 spectrometer (U-4100, Shimadazu Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was performed using a Thermo Scientific ESCALAB 250Xi (Thermo Scientific Inc., USA). The chemical bonds of the photocatalysts were

Pulsed laser synthesis of highly active Ag–Rh and Ag–Pt antenna–reactor-type plasmonic catalysts

• Kenneth A. Kane and
• Massimo F. Bertino

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1958–1963, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.192

• forming multicomponent, antenna–reactor-type photocatalysts. Highly elevated LSPR-induced electric fields in the angular concavities increase the number of energetic charge carriers of adsorbed Rh/Pt NPs, and subsequently increase the reduction rate of 4-nitrophenolate. This effect is isolated to the NP

BiOCl/TiO₂/diatomite composites with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B

• Minlin Ao,
• Kun Liu,
• Xuekun Tang,
• Zishun Li,
• Qian Peng and
• Jing Huang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1412–1422, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.139

• [10]. As one of the most promising photocatalysts, in terms of its chemical stability, non-toxicity, photo-corrosion resistance in aqueous media and advanced oxidation properties, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been widely studied [11][12] and employed for water splitting [13], energy storage [14], and

• of TiO2/diatomite and pure BiOCl were analyzed by the same method. In addition, cyclic experiments were carried out to prove the recyclability of photocatalysts. The photocatalyst was collected by centrifugation and the surface organic matter was removed by ethanol and water washing several times

• mineralized, although it has been completely decolorized under the same conditions. The result shows that about 45% of carbon is degraded to CO2. Photoelectrons and holes in photocatalysts have strong reductive and oxidative abilities, so they react with oxygen and other substances to form a variety of active

Construction of a 0D/1D composite based on Au nanoparticles/CuBi₂O₄ microrods for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity

• Weilong Shi,
• Mingyang Li,
• Hongji Ren,
• Feng Guo,
• Xiliu Huang,
• Yu Shi and
• Yubin Tang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1360–1367, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.134

• , enhancing photoresponse and providing more active sites. Our work shows a possible design of efficient photocatalysts for environmental remediation. Keywords: Au nanoparticles; 0D/1D composite; CuBi2O4 microrods; photocatalysis; photocatalytic degradation; Introduction Heterogeneous semiconductor

• photocatalysis as an advanced green technology has been widely studied and applied for the removal of organic pollutants from water [1][2][3]. The catalytic activity of many wide-bandgap (Eg) semiconductor photocatalysts is restricted to UV light radiation, which is only 5% of the solar spectrum. Hence, the

• development of visible-light-driven photocatalysts is highly desirable because visible light accounts for about 43% of the solar spectrum. Currently, bismuth-based semiconductor materials, including Bi2O3 [4], BiVO4 [5][6], Bi2WO6 [7], Bi2MoO6 [8], BiOX (X = Cl, Br, I) [9], and Bi2O2CO3 [10], are explored as

A highly efficient porous rod-like Ce-doped ZnO photocatalyst for the degradation of dye contaminants in water

• Binjing Hu,
• Qiang Sun,
• Chengyi Zuo,
• Yunxin Pei,
• Siwei Yang,
• Hui Zheng and
• Fangming Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1157–1165, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.115

• a sunlight simulator. The results showed that ZnO doped with 3% Ce exhibits the highest RhB degradation rate. To understand the crystal structure, elemental state, surface morphology and chemical composition, the photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron

• repeatability of CZO-4, recycling experiments were carried out at optimized conditions (concentration of RhB = 10 mg/L, catalyst dosage = 0.7 g/L, pH 9 and temperature = 50 °C). The photocatalysts were recycled after washing, centrifugation and vacuum drying at 75 °C for 1 h. The results given in Figure 2

• test tube. The suspension was stirred in darkness for 30 min before the initial absorbance was measured. The degradation rate was calculated after 2 h of exposure to sunlight. The design and results are listed in Table 1. Characterization of photocatalysts The XRD patterns of ZnO and CZO-4 were

Photoactive nanoarchitectures based on clays incorporating TiO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles

• Eduardo Ruiz-Hitzky,
• Pilar Aranda,
• Marwa Akkari,
• Nithima Khaorapapong and
• Makoto Ogawa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1140–1156, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.114

• ; nanoarchitectures; photocatalysts; titanium dioxide; zinc dioxide; Review Introduction: immobilization of nanoscale TiO2 and ZnO on clay minerals Nanoarchitectonics is a term coined by Japan's National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), which refers to the nanoscale design of complex materials through a deep

• are more efficient as photocatalysts than the corresponding bulk TiO2 and ZnO powders when they are present as NPs. This fact could be simply explained by the fact that the smaller particles normally have a larger surface-to-volume ratio. Many studies have focused on the photocatalytic activities of

• the “Web of Science” (WoS) [21] around 10,000 papers have been published in the last decade in connection with the topic of TiO2 NPs used as photocatalysts, indicating the high interest in the use of these materials for this type of applications. In fact, titanium dioxide (anatase phase) can be

Synthesis of novel C-doped g-C₃N₄ nanosheets coupled with CdIn₂S₄ for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

• Jingshuai Chen,
• Chang-Jie Mao,
• Helin Niu and
• Ji-Ming Song

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 912–921, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.92

• effective strategy, the combination of C-doping with nanocomposite semiconductors, is presented in this work. C-doped g-C3N4 (CCN) was prepared by supramolecular self-assembly and subsequently a number of CdIn2S4/CCN composite photocatalysts were designed and fabricated though in situ decoration of CdIn2S4

• μmol h−1 g−1). In addition, the hybrid photocatalysts display good recycling stability under visible-light irradiation. This research may provide promising information for the preparation of more efficient multifunctional hybrid photocatalysts with excellent stability in fine chemical engineering

• transfer nanochannels [5]. The as-prepared g-C3N4 nanosheet@ZnIn2S4 nanoleaf structure displays an enhanced photocatalytic activity for H2 production without the addition of a Pt co-catalyst. As visible-light-active photocatalysts, ternary metal sulfide (e.g., ZnIn2S4 and CdIn2S4) have attracted great

Electronic properties of several two dimensional halides from ab initio calculations

• Mohamed Barhoumi,
• Ali Abboud,
• Lamjed Debbichi,
• Moncef Said,
• Torbjörn Björkman,
• Dario Rocca and
• Sébastien Lebègue

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 823–832, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.82

• is an active research field [14][15][16]. A family of layered materials that attracted interest over the past few years are halides. For instance, BiOX (with X = Cl, Br and I) compounds are known to be promising photocatalysts [17][18][19]. In this context, Sharma et al. [20] have studied the

Deposition of metal particles onto semiconductor nanorods using an ionic liquid

• Michael D. Ballentine,
• Elizabeth G. Embry,
• Marco A. Garcia and
• Lawrence J. Hill

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 718–724, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.71

• using the methods reported here. Keywords: catalyst; ionic liquid; methylene blue; platinum; semiconductor nanorod; Introduction Core@shell semiconductor nanorods with attached noble metal particles have been widely studied as photocatalysts, and any improvement on the synthesis of these materials has

• dye degradation for the catalyst prepared using the ionic liquid compared to the catalyst prepared in toluene. These heterostructured nanorod photocatalysts bleach methylene blue by donating electrons from platinum cocatalyst sites to the dye [36]. Thus, the enhanced catalytic activity of samples

Ceria/polymer nanocontainers for high-performance encapsulation of fluorophores

• Kartheek Katta,
• Dmitry Busko,
• Yuri Avlasevich,
• Katharina Landfester,
• Stanislav Baluschev and
• Rafael Muñoz-Espí

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 522–530, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.53

• film at the oil–water interface [32] or rose bengal embedded in a microcapsule shell [33] can also be used to protect the encapsulated dye from molecular oxygen. Incorporating oxygen-scavenging materials such as WO3 photocatalysts loaded with Pt [34], phosphonate coatings [35], organophosphates [36] or