A series of cerium ion-doped titanium dioxide (Ce 3+ –TiO2) catalysts with special 4 f electron configuration was prepared by a sol–gel process and characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and also photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of Ce 3+ –TiO2 catalysts was evaluated in the 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) degradation in aqueous suspension under UV or visible light illumination. The experimental results demonstrated that the overall photocatalytic activity of Ce 3+ –TiO2 catalysts in MBT degradation was signigicantly enhanced due to higher adsorption capacity and better separation of electron-hole pairs. The experimental results verified that both the adsorption equilibrium constant (Ka) and the saturated adsorption amount (Gmax) increased with the increase of cerium ion content. The results of XPS analysis showed that the Ti 3+ ,C e 3+ , and Ce 4+ ions reside in the Ce 3+ –TiO2 catalysts. The results of DRS analysis indicated that the Ce 3+ –TiO2 catalysts had significant optical absorption in the visible region between 400 and 500 nm because electrons could be excited from the valence band of TiO2 or ground state of cerium oxides to Ce 4 f level. In the meantime, the dependence of the electron-hole pair separation on cerium ion content was investigated by the PL analysis. It was found that the separation efficiency of electron-hole pairs increased with the increase of cerium ion content at first and then decreased when the cerium ion content exceeded its optimal value. It is proposed that the formation of two sub-energy levels (defect level and Ce 4 f level) in Ce 3+ –TiO2 might be a critical reason to eliminate the recombination of

for 2-mercaptobenzothiazole degradation in aqueous suspension for odour control

Due to its unique atom-thick 2D structure and remarkable physicochemical properties, graphene has been making a profound impact in many areas of science and technology. In particular, a great deal of recent attention has been attracted to explore graphene and its derivatives for photoelectrochemical applications, with the potential to harness graphene's excellent properties for opening up new opportunities in next generation photoelectrochemical systems. Over the past few years, much work has been done in the design and preparation of novel graphene-based materials for a wide range of applications in photoelectrochemistry, ranging from photoelectrochemical solar cells, photocatalytic decomposition of organic pollutants, photocatalytic splitting of H2O, photocatalytic conversion for fuels, and so on. In this review article, we summarize the state of research on graphene-based materials from the standpoint of photoelectrochemistry. The prospects and further developments in this exciting field of graphene-based materials are also discussed.

Graphene and its derivatives for the development of solar cells, photoelectrochemical, and photocatalytic applications

Selective photocatalytic oxygenation of various substrates has been achieved using organic photocatalysts via photoinduced electron-transfer reactions of photocatalysts with substrates and dioxygen under visible light irradiation. Photoinduced electron transfer from benzene to the singlet-excited state of the 3-cyano-1-methylquinolinium ion has enabled the oxidation of benzene by dioxygen with water to yield phenol selectively. Alkoxybenzenes were obtained when water was replaced by alcohols under otherwise the same experimental conditions. Photocatalytic selective oxygenation reactions of aromatic compounds have also been achieved using an electron donor–acceptor linked dyad, 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium ion (Acr+–Mes) acting as a photocatalyst and dioxygen as an oxidant under visible light irradiation. The oxygenation reaction is initiated by intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer from the mesitylene moiety to the singlet-excited state of the acridinium moiety of Acr+–Mes to afford an extremely long-lived electron-transfer state. The electron-transfer state can oxidize and reduce substrates and dioxygen, respectively, leading to selective oxygenation and halogenation of substrates. C–C bond formation of substrates has also been made possible by using Acr+–Mes as a photocatalyst.

Selective photocatalytic reactions with organic photocatalysts

Nanocrystalline titania are a robust candidate for various functional applications owing to its non-toxicity, cheap availability, ease of preparation and exceptional photochemical as well as thermal stability. The uniqueness in each lattice structure of titania leads to multifaceted physico-chemical and opto-electronic properties, which yield different functionalities and thus influence their performances in various green energy applications. The high temperature treatment for crystallizing titania triggers inevitable particle growth and the destruction of delicate nanostructural features. Thus, the preparation of crystalline titania with tunable phase/particle size/morphology at low to moderate temperatures using a solution-based approach has paved the way for further exciting areas of research. In this focused review, titania synthesis from hydrothermal/solvothermal method, conventional sol–gel method and sol–gel-assisted method via ultrasonication, photoillumination and ILs, thermolysis and microemulsion routes are discussed. These wet chemical methods have broader visibility, since multiple reaction parameters, such as precursor chemistry, surfactants, chelating agents, solvents, mineralizer, pH of the solution, aging time, reaction temperature/time, inorganic electrolytes, can be easily manipulated to tune the final physical structure. This review sheds light on the stabilization/phase transformation pathways of titania polymorphs like anatase, rutile, brookite and TiO2(B) under a variety of reaction conditions. The driving force for crystallization arising from complex species in solution coupled with pH of the solution and ion species facilitating the orientation of octahedral resulting in a crystalline phase are reviewed in detail. In addition to titanium halide/alkoxide, the nucleation of titania from other precursors like peroxo and layered titanates are also discussed. The non-aqueous route and ball milling-induced titania transformation is briefly outlined; moreover, the lacunae in understanding the concepts and future prospects in this exciting field are suggested.

Polymorphic phase transition among the titania crystal structures using a solution-based approach: from precursor chemistry to nucleation process

Synthesis and high photocatalytic activity of Eu-doped ZnO nanoparticles

Lanthanide modified semiconductor photocatalysts

Engineered solid supports for vanadium catalysts were prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of alumina and titania layers on silica. The thickness of these layers was found to have a significant effect on the structure of the solid supports, their interaction with vanadia, and their catalytic performance with regard to oxidative dehydrogenation of propane. The catalytic performance of supported vanadia catalysts is reported for both ALD-engineered and conventional solid supports (γ-Al2O3 and TiO2). The analysis results indicated that the engineered supports behave as a separate phase rather than a cross between the base silica and the deposited alumina or titania.

Effect of Atomic Layer Deposition Support Thickness on Structural Properties and Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane on Alumina- and Titania-Supported Vanadia

Anne M. Grady

Papers

Lanthanide modified semiconductor photocatalysts

Effect of Atomic Layer Deposition Support Thickness on Structural Properties and Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane on Alumina- and Titania-Supported Vanadia