Enhanced photocatalytic activity of 0D/2D/2D MNPs@La2Ti2O7@BiOBr (M = Ag, Au) heterojunction in the degradation of organic Contaminants and the production of hydrogen by simulated solar irradiation
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abstract
The chemical design of new photocatalytic materials with enhanced activity is central in water remediation treatments. Herein, we report on an innovative 0D/2D/2D MNPs%40La2Ti2O7%40BiOBr (M = Au or Ag) heterojunction synthesized in a two-stage hydrothermal method. La2Ti2O7 was firstly decorated with AgNPs or AuNPs followed by the growth of BiOBr. Characterization techniques allowed to confirm the crystallinity, morphology, composition, textural, electrochemical, and optical properties of the MNPs%40La2Ti2O7%40BiOBr heterojunctions. A comprehensive analysis was performed to evaluate the molar composition of 2D semiconductors (La2Ti2O7 and BiOBr) for the photocatalytic degradation of the Rhodamine-B (RhB) under simulated solar irradiation. The best photocatalytic activity was observed for the 1:2 La2Ti2O7%40BiOBr heterojunction decorated with AuNPs (AuNPs%402:1). The AgNPs%401:2 heterojunction demonstrated effective charge migration and separation of the exciton (hVB –eCB-), as well as the desired prolonged electron (eCB-) lifetime. The electrochemical characterization together with photochemical studies suggest an All-Solid-State Z-scheme (ASS-Z-scheme) type charge transfer mechanism. In addition to the excellent performance as an oxidizing agent of organic molecules, MNPs%40La2Ti2O7%40BiOBr heterojunctions exhibit excellent performance towards H2 generation, achieving up to 412μmol∙g-1∙h-1 under UV illumination and up to 39μmol∙g-1∙h-1 under visible light, demonstrating the multifaceted behavior of MNPs%40La2Ti2O7%40BiOBr heterojunctions.
