Hierarchical heterostructures of Bi₂MoO₆ microflowers decorated with Ag₂CO₃ nanoparticles for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic removal of toxic pollutants

• Shijie Li,
• Wei Jiang,
• Shiwei Hu,
• Yu Liu,
• Yanping Liu,
• Kaibing Xu and
• Jianshe Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2297–2305, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.214

• established. However, the conventional wastewater treatments are usually accompanied by high cost, low efficiency and other insufficiencies [2]. The decomposition and mineralization of pollutants under sunlight through photocatalysis has been demonstrated to be an effective and green technology for

• environmental remediation [3][4][5][6]. Crucial to photocatalysis is to obtain high-performance photocatalysts [7][8]. Obtaining excellent photocatalysts that can be excited by visible light (43% of the solar energy spectrum) is very important for practical applications [9][10][11][12][13][14]. Bi2MoO6 has been

Synthesis of a MnO₂/Fe₃O₄/diatomite nanocomposite as an efficient heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst for methylene blue degradation

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

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1940–1950, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.185

• can not be degraded spontaneously, thus various methods focusing on the removal of organic pollutant, including adsorption, photocatalysis and advanced oxidation processes, have been extensively studied over the past decades [2][4][5]. Among these methods, advanced oxidation processes (AOP) are

A visible-light-controlled platform for prolonged drug release based on Ag-doped TiO₂ nanotubes with a hydrophobic layer

• Caihong Liang,
• Jiang Wen and
• Xiaoming Liao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1793–1801, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.170

• their well-defined geometry, stable structure [1], high surface-to-volume ratio, highly hydrophilic wetting characteristic [2][3], and remarkable photocatalysis properties [4]. However, the traditional drug delivery systems still exhibit many obvious drawbacks such as low drug solubility, uncontrolled

• light by doping AuNPs onto the nanotubes to improve the photocatalysis of the TNTs, which feasibly allows drug release under visible light. However, controlled drug release in combination with extended release delivery via a TiO2 nanotube platform has been rarely investigated. As a trace element

• electric field [33] and results in the generation of e− and h+ even under irradiation with lower energy light. Thus, doping with AgNPs has evidently enhanced the TiO2 photocatalysis under visible-light irradiation. However, after loading with the Zn2+-based drug and coating with the NDM layer, the

Controllable one-pot synthesis of uniform colloidal TiO₂ particles in a mixed solvent solution for photocatalysis

• Jong Tae Moon,
• Seung Ki Lee and
• Ji Bong Joo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1715–1727, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.163

• explored semiconducting material that exists in abundance from natural resources. It has a wide range of applications including bio-separation, sensors, energy storage, catalysis and photocatalysis [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. Due to its wide band gap energy (3.0–3.2 eV) between the conduction and

• Honda and Fujishima [12]. Over the past decade, there have been many attempts to fabricate highly active TiO2-based photocatalysts for enhanced photocatalytic efficiency [13][14][15][16][17]. It is well-known that photocatalysis over a semiconductor photocatalyst occurs in the following sequential steps

• without charge recombination. Finally, each charge carrier can be consumed for surface redox reactions [9][15]. To achieve high performance in the overall photocatalysis system, the efficiency of each step should be improved [13]. Regarding the point of light absorption, the band gap energy range of the

Sulfur-, nitrogen- and platinum-doped titania thin films with high catalytic efficiency under visible-light illumination

• Boštjan Žener,
• Lev Matoh,
• Giorgio Carraro,
• Bojan Miljević and
• Romana Cerc Korošec

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1629–1640, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.155

• and subsequent degradation was used to fit the experimental data. The results have shown an increase in photocatalytic activity under visible-light illumination of nonmetal and metal doped and co-doped titania thin films compared to an undoped sample. Keywords: doping; photocatalysis; sol–gel

• is used in a variety of applications, such as photovoltaics [2], white pigments [3], electrochemistry [4], catalytic support [5], and most notably, photocatalysis [6]. Photocatalysis is used to describe a process during which a semiconductor (titanium dioxide) interacts with light to produce reactive

• oxidizing species, which then oxidize adsorbed pollutants, forming CO2 and H2O as final products [7]. Because of this particularly beneficial characteristic, together with its low-cost and lack of secondary emissions [8], significant research has been focused on the use of TiO2 photocatalysis in various

Sheet-on-belt branched TiO₂(B)/rGO powders with enhanced photocatalytic activity

• Huan Xing,
• Wei Wen and
• Jin-Ming Wu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1550–1557, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.146

• TiO2(B) is usually adopted to construct phase junctions with anatase TiO2 for applications in photocatalysis to facilitate charge separation; its intrinsic photocatalytic activity, especially when in the form of one- or three-dimensional nanostructures, has been rarely reported. In this study, a sheet

• assist the photodegradation of phenol in water under UV light illumination. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the significantly increased surface area and enhanced charge separation. Keywords: branched nanostructure; photocatalysis; reduced graphene oxide; TiO2(B); Introduction

Cr(VI) remediation from aqueous environment through modified-TiO₂-mediated photocatalytic reduction

• Rashmi Acharya,
• Brundabana Naik and
• Kulamani Parida

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1448–1470, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.137

• industrial processes pose threat to aquatic life and downstream users. Various treatment techniques, such as chemical reduction, ion exchange, bacterial degradation, adsorption and photocatalysis, have been exploited for remediation of Cr(VI) from wastewater. Among these, photocatalysis has recently gained

• considerable attention. The applications of photocatalysis, such as water splitting, CO2 reduction, pollutant degradation, organic transformation reactions, N2 fixation, etc., towards solving the energy crisis and environmental issues are briefly discussed in the Introduction of this review. The advantages of

• photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) along with their good recoverability and recyclability. Keywords: charge transfer; Cr(VI) reduction; heterojunction; modified TiO2; photocatalysis; spinel oxides; Review Introduction The increase in the global population demands rapid growth of industrialization and

Ag₂WO₄ nanorods decorated with AgI nanoparticles: Novel and efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysts for the degradation of water pollutants

• Shijie Li,
• Shiwei Hu,
• Wei Jiang,
• Yanping Liu,
• Yu Liu,
• Yingtang Zhou,
• Liuye Mo and
• Jianshe Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1308–1316, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.123

• photocatalytic performance. Keywords: AgI/Ag2WO4; nanocomposites; photocatalysis; visible light; Introduction The development of high-performance novel photocatalysts for the degradation of pollutants has received great interest due to the worsening of environmental pollution [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11

Noble metal-modified titania with visible-light activity for the decomposition of microorganisms

• Maya Endo,
• Zhishun Wei,
• Kunlei Wang,
• Baris Karabiyik,
• Kenta Yoshiiri,
• Paulina Rokicka,
• Bunsho Ohtani,
• Agata Markowska-Szczupak and
• Ewa Kowalska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 829–841, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.77

• ; antimicrobial properties; bactericidal effect; noble-metal nanoparticles; plasmonic photocatalysis; Introduction Environmental pollution and the lack of clean potable water are main issues facing human development. Although, various methods of efficient control and monitoring of waste management have been

• burn wounds (bandage and dressing), and protection against infection (braces and catheters). Photocatalysis is considered as one of the best methods for environmental purification since additional chemical compounds, such as strong oxidants (ozone, hydrogen peroxide or chlorine) [7][8][9][10][11][12

• be used for photocatalyst activation [20]. Titanium(IV) oxide (titania) is the most widely used semiconductor photocatalyst used in treatment of water/wastewater and air [21]. The major barrier for common application of titania photocatalysis is the low activity under solar radiation (mainly due to

Facile synthesis of a ZnO–BiOI p–n nano-heterojunction with excellent visible-light photocatalytic activity

• Mengyuan Zhang,
• Jiaqian Qin,
• Pengfei Yu,
• Bing Zhang,
• Mingzhen Ma,
• Xinyu Zhang and
• Riping Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 789–800, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.72

• well as the high specific area. Keywords: BiOI; photocatalytic degradation; p–n heterojunction; ZnO; Introduction The development of semiconductor photocatalysis has opened a new horizon for environmental pollution remediation and provides a potential solution to the global energy problem given the

• semiconductor’s band gap. Bismuth(III)-containing semiconductors (such as bismuth oxide [17], bismuth vanadate [18][19], bismuth tungstate [20], bismuth perovskite [21], bismuth molybdate [22], etc.) have been extensively researched as a broad hybrid orbital composed of Bi 6s in the field of photocatalysis

• becoming a key focus area for the design of novel and multifunctional materials in the field of photocatalysis. To date, unremitting efforts have been devoted to improving the photocatalysis efficiency [26][27][28][29]. Furthermore, coupling n-type semiconductor photocatalysts to p-type to form p–n

Surface-plasmon-enhanced ultraviolet emission of Au-decorated ZnO structures for gas sensing and photocatalytic devices

• T. Anh Thu Do,
• Truong Giang Ho,
• Thu Hoai Bui,
• Quang Ngan Pham,
• Hong Thai Giang,
• Thi Thu Do,
• Duc Van Nguyen and
• Dai Lam Tran

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 771–779, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.70

• . Keywords: Au-decorated ZnO; carrier dynamics; gas sensors; photocatalyst; SPR effect; Introduction Inorganic transition metal oxide sensor devices have attracted attention in particular for improving gas sensing, energy conversion, electronics, photocatalysis and optoelectronic devices [1][2][3][4]. Among

• and support the design of efficient NO2 gas sensing and photocatalysis devices. The effects of Au NPs on the performance of ZnO-based gas sensors were also investigated at an optimized operating temperature of 120 °C towards pollutant gases in a wide range of concentrations. The enhanced sensitivity

Synthesis and characterization of two new TiO₂-containing benzothiazole-based imine composites for organic device applications

• Anna Różycka,
• Agnieszka Iwan,
• Krzysztof Artur Bogdanowicz,
• Michal Filapek,
• Natalia Górska,
• Damian Pociecha,
• Marek Malinowski,
• Patryk Fryń,
• Agnieszka Hreniak,
• Jakub Rysz,
• Paweł Dąbczyński and
• Monika Marzec

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 721–739, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.67

• , photovoltaic and photo-electrochemical cells, and environmental photocatalysis [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43]. The lack of systematic studies of the influence of TiO2 on the thermal, structural and electrochemical properties of imines with benzothiazole moieties was the main reason for this work. In

Perovskite-structured CaTiO₃ coupled with g-C₃N₄ as a heterojunction photocatalyst for organic pollutant degradation

• Ashish Kumar,
• Christian Schuerings,
• Suneel Kumar,
• Ajay Kumar and
• Venkata Krishnan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 671–685, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.62

• degradation of pollutants has been proposed and discussed. Keywords: CaTiO3; graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4); heterojunction photocatalyst; pollutant degradation; Introduction Photocatalysis is recognized as an attractive approach for environmental remediation and energy generation applications due to its

• is desirable. The physical and chemical properties of a photocatalyst are related to its photocatalytic performance as three crucial factors of photocatalysis (i.e., photon absorption, charge carrier transfer and catalytic surface reactions) are dependent on them [8][9]. Two-dimensional (2D) layered

• heterojunctions are of great interest in the photocatalysis domain for achieving environmental sustainability [10][11]. These nanocomposites are known for their greater photogenerated electron–hole mobility across the heterojunction interface, which reduces the distance and time of charge transport to impede

Mechanistic insights into plasmonic photocatalysts in utilizing visible light

• Kah Hon Leong,
• Azrina Abd Aziz,
• Lan Ching Sim,
• Pichiah Saravanan,
• Min Jang and
• Detlef Bahnemann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 628–648, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.59

• will lead to a pathway for better utilization of the solar spectrum. The invention and progression of plasmonic photocatalysts laid a foundation for the successful utilisation of longer wavelengths, known as “visible light photocatalysis”. The localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is a unique

• are quite a number of ways to synthesize plasmonic photocatalysts. The most important step in their fabrication is the incorporation or deposition of noble metals onto the surface of a semiconductor. The most commonly studied semiconductor is TiO2, which exhibits superior photocatalysis efficiency

• adsorption stage and thus decrease the efficiency during photocatalysis [3]. The photodeposition method has overcome these disadvantages and produces a higher concentration of incorporated noble metal into the semiconductor composite [1]. This method is assisted by light whereby the deposition of noble metal

Fabrication and photoactivity of ionic liquid–TiO₂ structures for efficient visible-light-induced photocatalytic decomposition of organic pollutants in aqueous phase

• Anna Gołąbiewska,
• Marta Paszkiewicz-Gawron,
• Aleksandra Sadzińska,
• Wojciech Lisowski,
• Ewelina Grabowska,
• Adriana Zaleska-Medynska and
• Justyna Łuczak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 580–590, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.54

• at the surface of the IL–TiO2 material under visible-light illumination, and is responsible for the effective phenol degradation. Keywords: heterogeneous photocatalysis; ionic liquids; TiO2; visible light catalysis; Introduction The development of heterogeneous photocatalysis to degrade organic

• achieve visible-light-activated photocatalysts. Another, actually surprising, way to improve the efficiency of solar-driven photocatalysis appeared in an application of ionic liquids (ILs) for TiO2 preparation [12][13][14]. Sometimes referred to as “solvents of the future”, ILs have induced a large and

Influence of the preparation method on the photocatalytic activity of Nd-modified TiO₂

• Patrycja Parnicka,
• Paweł Mazierski,
• Tomasz Grzyb,
• Wojciech Lisowski,
• Ewa Kowalska,
• Bunsho Ohtani,
• Adriana Zaleska-Medynska and
• Joanna Nadolna

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 447–459, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.43

• light-induced degradation of the model pollutant in aqueous solution. Keywords: heterogeneous photocatalysis; hydrothermal method; modified TiO2; neodymium; sol–hydrothermal method; Introduction Heterogeneous photocatalysis based on titanium dioxide (TiO2) has become the focus of numerous studies due

Facile synthesis of ZnFe₂O₄ photocatalysts for decolourization of organic dyes under solar irradiation

• Arjun Behera,
• Debasmita Kandi,
• Sanjit Manohar Majhi,
• Satyabadi Martha and
• Kulamani Parida

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 436–446, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.42

• correlates well with the lowest PL intensity, highest photocurrent and lowest particle size. Keywords: Congo red; electrochemical study; phenol; photocatalyst; rhodamine B (Rh B); ZnFe2O4; Introduction Photocatalysis is a “green” technology for the treatment of environmental pollutants with solar energy [1

• ]. It is important to develop a suitable environmentally friendly material that can absorb the full range of the solar spectrum for solving energy and environmental challenges. Since last decade, ternary transition metal oxides (TTMOs) have gained tremendous popularity in the field of photocatalysis by

• great attention in the field of photocatalysis. The reasons are the absorption of a maximum fraction of solar light, and specific optoelectronic and magnetic properties [6][7][8][9]. Metal ferrites exhibit a spinel-like structure having the general formula of MFe2O4 (M = Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, Co) and are

Photocatalytic and adsorption properties of TiO₂-pillared montmorillonite obtained by hydrothermally activated intercalation of titanium polyhydroxo complexes

• Mikhail F. Butman,
• Nikolay L. Ovchinnikov,
• Nikita S. Karasev,
• Nataliya E. Kochkina,
• Alexander V. Agafonov and
• Alexandr V. Vinogradov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 364–378, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.36

• , and liquefied nitrogen adsorption/desorption. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2-pillared materials was studied using the degradation of anionic (methyl orange, MO) and cationic (rhodamine B, RhB) dyes in water under UV irradiation. The combined effect of adsorption and photocatalysis resulted in

• stems from imparting higher acid resistance to the pillared MM, which is important when it is used for photocatalysis in highly acidic media. In particular, hydrothermal treatment accelerates crystallization and formation of clusters which grow and produce amorphous TiO2 nanoparticles in the interlayer

• photocatalysis [37]. Therefore, we studied the kinetics of adsorption for the MO and RhB dyes (Figure 7, Figure 8) first. All the samples under study reach adsorption equilibria in about 30 minutes. Adsorption rate for the cationic RhB is significantly higher than that for the anionic MO due to electrostatic

Sugarcane juice derived carbon dot–graphitic carbon nitride composites for bisphenol A degradation under sunlight irradiation

• Lan Ching Sim,
• Jing Lin Wong,
• Chen Hong Hak,
• Jun Yan Tai,
• Kah Hon Leong and
• Pichiah Saravanan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 353–363, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.35

• graphitic carbon [1]. CDs possess upconversion photoluminescence (UCPL) properties [2] and are able to harvest long wavelength light in the visible and near infrared (NIR) region [3][4], rendering them promising candidates as photosensitizers in photocatalysis. Nevertheless, the reported preparation method

• drawn the attention of researchers. Such green CDs are widely applied in bioimaging [6][12], sensing [13] and solar cells [14]. However, the obtained CDs showed superior water solubility, limiting their down-to-earth applicability for photocatalysis in aqueous solution. It is well-known that the organic

• -driven photocatalysis. Prasannan and Imae reported a simple and facile one-pot synthesis of fluorescent CDs from orange waste peels using the hydrothermal carbonization method. As prepared CDs were combined with zinc oxide (ZnO) to degrade naphthol blue–black azo dye under UV irradiation, and the

Bombyx mori silk/titania/gold hybrid materials for photocatalytic water splitting: combining renewable raw materials with clean fuels

• Stefanie Krüger,
• Michael Schwarze,
• Otto Baumann,
• Christina Günter,
• Michael Bruns,
• Christian Kübel,
• Dorothée Vinga Szabó,
• Rafael Meinusch,
• Verónica de Zea Bermudez and
• Andreas Taubert

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 187–204, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.21

• mechanically and chemically stable to withstand the conditions during photocatalysis. Daoud and Xin [35] coated cotton fibers with 20 nm anatase particles via a sol–gel method. The covalently bonded TiO2 particles have a 50+ UV protection factor and are stable against washing. In an alternative approach, Zheng

• showed the same behavior and the deviations between the individual measurements were below 1%. Elemental analysis (EA) for C, H, and N was performed on a Vario EL III (elementar). Photocatalysis experiments were done in a planar photoreactor with defined geometry consisting of a stainless steel housing

Co-reductive fabrication of carbon nanodots with high quantum yield for bioimaging of bacteria

• Jiajun Wang,
• Xia Liu,
• Gesmi Milcovich,
• Tzu-Yu Chen,
• Edel Durack,
• Sarah Mallen,
• Yongming Ruan,
• Xuexiang Weng and
• Sarah P. Hudson

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 137–145, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.16

• water, low photobleaching and low cytotoxicity. They show great potential for bioimaging, photocatalysis, energy conversion, fluorescent ink and sensing applications [1][2][3]. In a bioimaging application perspective, the detection of bacteria by microscopic visualization is an essential benchmark

Review on optofluidic microreactors for artificial photosynthesis

• Xiaowen Huang,
• Jianchun Wang,
• Tenghao Li,
• Jianmei Wang,
• Min Xu,
• Weixing Yu,
• Abdel El Abed and
• Xuming Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 30–41, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.5

• review will start with a brief introduction on the mechanisms of photocatalysis-based APS (water splitting, CO2 reduction and coenzyme regeneration). Then we will introduce the representative designs of these three areas with an emphasis on how they help solve the existing problems in their respective

• -efficiency photocatalysis [67]. In summary, the basic mechanism of APS is comprised of three processes: (1) generation of charge carriers (i.e., electrons and holes), (2) separation and transfer of charge carriers, and (3) chemical reactions between surface species and charge carriers. Based on this

Facile synthesis of silver/silver thiocyanate (Ag@AgSCN) plasmonic nanostructures with enhanced photocatalytic performance

• Xinfu Zhao,
• Dairong Chen,
• Abdul Qayum,
• Bo Chen and
• Xiuling Jiao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2781–2789, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.277

• ) Kinetic curves for the oxytetracycline degradation with M0, M1, M2, M3, M4, M5. (c) The cycle curves of oxytetracycline degradation using M2 as a photocatalyst. (d) TEM images of M2 after five cyclic experiments. (a) Photocatalysis mechanism of the Ag@AgSCN plasmonic photocatalyst. (b) Photocatalytic

CdSe nanorod/TiO₂ nanoparticle heterojunctions with enhanced solar- and visible-light photocatalytic activity

• Fakher Laatar,
• Hatem Moussa,
• Halima Alem,
• Lavinia Balan,
• Emilien Girot,
• Ghouti Medjahdi,
• Hatem Ezzaouia and
• Raphaël Schneider

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2741–2752, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.273

• catalysts show high potential for real water decontamination. Keywords: CdSe nanorods; heterojunction; photocatalysis; TiO2; Introduction The development of efficient photocatalysts to address environmental and energy needs, such as degradation of harmful organic compounds in water and in the air or the

Hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO quantum dot/KNb₃O₈ nanosheet photocatalysts for reducing carbon dioxide to methanol

• Xiao Shao,
• Weiyue Xin and
• Xiaohong Yin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2264–2270, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.226

• production rate was found to increase to 1539.77 μmol/g/h. Thus, the ZnO quantum dots obviously prompted separation of charge carriers, which was explained by a proposed mechanism for this photocatalytic reaction. Keywords: CO2 reduction; KNb3O8 nanosheets; methanol production; photocatalysis; ZnO quantum