Enhanced visible light photo-Fenton-like degradation of tetracyclines by expanded perlite supported FeMo3Ox/g-C3N4 floating Z-scheme catalyst

The piezo-photocatalytic effect of Au decorated bismuth oxybromide (BiOBr) was investigated to elucidate the regulation of built-in electric field on charge carrier dynamics and exploit the potential of multi-field coupled environmental purification. Physicochemical properties of Au-BiOBr such as the piezoelectricity, photoresponse characteristics, and charge separation efficiencies were thoroughly analyzed, meanwhile the degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) was chosen to evaluate the catalytic performance of this system. The piezo-photocatalytic removal of CBZ reached 95.8% within 30 min, and the rate constant is 1.73 times higher than the sum of individual piezo- and photocatalytic ones. The results attribute to not only the modification of Au nanoparticles that accelerates charge transfer and improves light absorption, but also, more importantly, the piezoelectric effect of BiOBr that amplifies the built-in electric field and modulates the band structure alignment. This work demonstrates a promising environmental remediation strategy via the co-utilization of solar and mechanical energy in nature. 

Piezo-enhanced charge carrier separation over plasmonic Au-BiOBr for piezo-photocatalytic carbamazepine removal

After a long process of intense fundamental and scientific research, the question of the suitability of photocatalytic technology to address real environmental problems is still alive. Although photocatalysis has exceptional and unique properties, it still suffers from some technical problems that limit its large-scale transfer. Furthermore, part of the scientific community focuses on research impossible to apply in industry due to both costs and technical difficulties in large-scale transfer, and testing conditions are often very far from real ones. In this report, a SWOT analysis of photocatalytic technology is conducted in order to assess whether its main strengths can enable it to seize relevant opportunities for large-scale investment and commercialization of photocatalytic solutions, despite its weaknesses and external threats. Exploiting and extending all the properties of photocatalysis can transform a plain chemical process in a real and truly competitive technology.

SWOT analysis of photocatalytic materials towards large scale environmental remediation

Perovskite catalysts with different dimensionalities for environmental and energy applications: A review

A review of advances in multifunctional XTiO3 perovskite-type oxides as piezo-photocatalysts for environmental remediation and energy production.

Comparison of the photoactivity of several semiconductor oxides in floating aerogel and suspension systems towards the reduction of Cr(VI) under visible light

We synthesized Ce doped TiO2 (Cex-T) and tested it in the photocatalytic degradation of NOx and ethanol under visible light. Pristine TiO2 (T) and different dopant ratios of Ce-TiO2 (Cex-T; x=0 to 1.0 wt%) were prepared by a water-based sol-gel method followed by spray drying. The successful doping of Ce in the lattice structure of TiO2 was confirmed by several characterizations such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy. All the prepared catalysts grew as spherical grains with a polycrystalline anatase phase. Ce0.8T revealed the lowest bandgap among all the prepared catalysts (2.8 eV) compared to 3.2 eV for T. The highest degradation of NOx and ethanol was attained by Ce0.8T (26±1% and 23±1%), which was 2.8 and 1.5 times the degradation by T, Furthermore, we proposed the photocatalytic degradation mechanism by the reactive oxidant species (ROS).

Marcela Frias Ordonez

Papers

A review of advances in multifunctional XTiO3 perovskite-type oxides as piezo-photocatalysts for environmental remediation and energy production.

Comparison of the photoactivity of several semiconductor oxides in floating aerogel and suspension systems towards the reduction of Cr(VI) under visible light

Photocatalytic degradation of NOx and ethanol in the gas phase by spray dried Ce-TiO2