Bi/SnO₂/TiO₂-graphene nanocomposite photocatalyst for solar visible light–induced photodegradation of pentachlorophenol

TY - JOUR

T1 - Bi/SnO2/TiO2-graphene nanocomposite photocatalyst for solar visible light–induced photodegradation of pentachlorophenol

AU - Sayadi, Mohammad Hossein

AU - Homaeigohar, Shahin

AU - Rezaei, Ayoob

AU - Shekari, Hossein

N1 - Funding Information: This study was funded by the Research Council of University of Birjand (Grant Number: 18191/1398). Publisher Copyright: © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/3

Y1 - 2021/3

N2 - In this study, for the first time, a TiO2/graphene (G) heterostructure was synthesized and doped by Bi and SnO2 nanoparticles through a hydrothermal treatment. The as-synthesized nanocomposite was employed for photocatalytic degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) under visible light irradiation. Structural characterizations such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) proved the valence band alignment at Bi/SnO2/TiO2-G interfaces and crystallinity of the nanocomposite, respectively. The as-developed nanocomposite photocatalyst was able to decompose 84% PCP, thanks to the generation of a large number of active OH•− and O2•− radicals. To achieve this optimum photodegradation efficiency, various parameters such as pH, catalyst dosage, and PCP concentration were optimized. The results showed that the PCP photodegradation process followed the first-order kinetic model and the reaction rate constant rose from 0.007 min−1 (Bi) to 0.0149 min−1 (Bi/SnO2/TiO2-G). The PCP photodegradation efficiency did not decrease significantly after 5 cycles, and the nanocomposite photocatalyst still showed a high efficiency of 68% in the last cycle. The excellent photocatalytic activity of Bi/SnO2/TiO2-G is ascribed as well as the heterostructure of the nanocomposite photocatalyst.

AB - In this study, for the first time, a TiO2/graphene (G) heterostructure was synthesized and doped by Bi and SnO2 nanoparticles through a hydrothermal treatment. The as-synthesized nanocomposite was employed for photocatalytic degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) under visible light irradiation. Structural characterizations such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) proved the valence band alignment at Bi/SnO2/TiO2-G interfaces and crystallinity of the nanocomposite, respectively. The as-developed nanocomposite photocatalyst was able to decompose 84% PCP, thanks to the generation of a large number of active OH•− and O2•− radicals. To achieve this optimum photodegradation efficiency, various parameters such as pH, catalyst dosage, and PCP concentration were optimized. The results showed that the PCP photodegradation process followed the first-order kinetic model and the reaction rate constant rose from 0.007 min−1 (Bi) to 0.0149 min−1 (Bi/SnO2/TiO2-G). The PCP photodegradation efficiency did not decrease significantly after 5 cycles, and the nanocomposite photocatalyst still showed a high efficiency of 68% in the last cycle. The excellent photocatalytic activity of Bi/SnO2/TiO2-G is ascribed as well as the heterostructure of the nanocomposite photocatalyst.

KW - Advanced oxidation processes

KW - Reusability

KW - Solar photocatalysis

KW - Water treatment

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85096506660

U2 - 10.1007/s11356-020-11708-w

DO - 10.1007/s11356-020-11708-w

M3 - Article

C2 - 33236301

AN - SCOPUS:85096506660

SN - 0944-1344

VL - 28

SP - 15236

EP - 15247

JO - Environmental Science and Pollution Research

JF - Environmental Science and Pollution Research

IS - 12

ER -