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Photocatalytic Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 August 2019) | Viewed by 30237

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Prof. Dr. M. Carmen Román-Martínez

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Guest Editor

1. Department of Inorganic Chemistry-IUMA, Faculty of Science, University of Alicante, Ctra. San Vicente del Raspeig - Alicante s/n, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
2. Carbon Materials and Environment Research Group, Alicante, Spain
Interests: preparation and characterization of carbon and inorganic materials, as well as hybrid materials, using for catalysts development, including heterogeneous and heterogenized (hybrid catalysts) systems

Prof. Dr. María Ángeles Lillo-Ródenas

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Guest Editor

Inorganic Chemistry Department, University Materials Institute of Alicante (IUMA), University of Alicante, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
Interests: environment; carbon materials; TiO₂; photocatalysis; adsorption

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The purpose of this Special Issue, entitled "Photocatalytic Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications", is to cover promising recent research and novel trends in the field of photocatalysis, mainly in the frame of pollution control and energy production. Welcome are studies addressing challenges in photocatalysts's development, such as the improvement in synthesis and characterization methods, the optimization of composition and properties for a given application, and also the investigation of kinetic and mechanistic aspects. Additionally, the design of reaction systems to work under solar light, to increase the light contact efficiency or to achieve processes intensification, are also regarded as interesting topics. The potential of photocatalysis for transformations in gas and liquid phase is vast, but this issue is particularly focused in applications in which the target is either the removal of pollutants or the production of energy vectors like hydrogen or other fuels.

We would like to encourage the participation of researchers interested in the above mentioned subject as a way to share their knowledge and results. Thus, we cordially invite to submit a paper to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. M. Carmen Román-Martínez
Prof. Dr. Maria Ángeles Lillo-Ródenas
Guest Editors

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Keywords

preparation
characterization
crystalline structure
textural properties
optical properties
morphology
pollution control
wastewater treatment
clean energy
kinetics
mechanisms
intensification
TiO2
doping
band gap

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 6215 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Insights on the Use of Carbon Additives as Promoters of the Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity of Bi₂WO₆

by Alicia Gomis-Berenguer, Irma Eliani, Vânia F. Lourenço, Rocio J. Carmona, Leticia F. Velasco and Conchi O. Ania

Materials 2019, 12(3), 385; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12030385 - 26 Jan 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2776

Abstract

We have explored the impact of the incorporation of various amounts of carbons from varied physicochemical features as additives to Bi₂WO₆ for the photocatalytic degradation of a dye using simulated solar light. Data has revealed that the composition and acidic character of the carbon additive are important parameters in the performance of the Bi₂WO₆/carbon catalysts. The presence of a carbon additive improved the conversion of the dye, evidencing the occurrence of charge transfer reactions that involve radical mediated reactions. The catalysts prepared with 2 and 5 wt.% of carbon additive outperformed the bare semiconductor, despite the shielding effect of the carbon matrix. The acidic nature of the Bi₂WO₆/carbon catalysts governs the degradation pathway (due to the preferential adsorption of the dye), that proceeds via the deethylation of the auxochrome groups of the dye at short irradiation times, followed by the cleavage of the chromophore at long irradiation times. Regarding the characteristics of the carbons, the photocatalytic degradation rate is accelerated by carbons of acidic character and high oxygen content, whereas the porosity seems to play a minor role. The presence of the carbon additives also affects the toxicity of the treated solutions, rendering lower values after shorter irradiation periods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications)

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17 pages, 5533 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Activating Agent on the Properties of TiO₂/Activated Carbon Heterostructures for Solar Photocatalytic Degradation of Acetaminophen

by Manuel Peñas-Garzón, Almudena Gómez-Avilés, Jorge Bedia, Juan J. Rodriguez and Carolina Belver

Materials 2019, 12(3), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12030378 - 25 Jan 2019

Cited by 47 | Viewed by 4387

Abstract

Several activated carbons (ACs) were prepared by chemical activation of lignin with different activating agents (FeCl₃, ZnCl₂, H₃PO₄ and KOH) and used for synthesizing TiO₂/activated carbon heterostructures. These heterostructures were obtained by the combination of the activated carbons with a titania precursor using a solvothermal treatment. The synthesized materials were fully characterized (Wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 adsorption-desorption, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-Vis DRS) and further used in the photodegradation of a target pharmaceutical compound (acetaminophen). All heterostructures were composed of anatase phase regardless of the activated carbon used, while the porous texture and surface chemistry depended on the chemical compound used to activate the lignin. Among all heterostructures studied, that obtained by FeCl₃-activation yielded complete conversion of acetaminophen after 6 h of reaction under solar-simulated irradiation, also showing high conversion after successive cycles. Although the reaction rate was lower than the observed with bare TiO₂, the heterostructure showed higher settling velocity, thus being considerably easier to recover from the reaction medium. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications)

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18 pages, 1438 KiB

Open AccessArticle

TiO₂ Modification with Transition Metallic Species (Cr, Co, Ni, and Cu) for Photocatalytic Abatement of Acetic Acid in Liquid Phase and Propene in Gas Phase

by Ana Amorós-Pérez, Laura Cano-Casanova, Ana Castillo-Deltell, María Ángeles Lillo-Ródenas and María del Carmen Román-Martínez

Materials 2019, 12(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12010040 - 23 Dec 2018

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3993

Abstract

The commercial P25 titania has been modified with transition metallic species (Cr, Co, Ni, and Cu), added by impregnation with aqueous solutions of the corresponding nitrates. The preparation procedure also includes a heat treatment (500 °C) in argon to decompose the nitrates, remove impurities and to strengthen the metal–TiO₂ interaction. The catalysts have been thoroughly characterized using N₂ adsorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and have been tested in the aqueous phase decomposition of acetic acid and in the gas phase oxidation of propene, using an irradiation source of 365 nm in both cases. The photocatalytic activity of the four metal-containing catalysts varies with the nature of the metallic species and follows a similar trend in the two tested reactions. The effect of the nature of the added metallic species is mainly based on the electrochemical properties of the supported species, being Cu/P25 (the sample that contains copper) the best performing catalyst. In the photodecomposition of acetic acid, all the metal-containing samples are more active than bare P25, while in the gas phase oxidation of propene, bare P25 is more active. This has been explained considering that the rate-determining steps are different in gas and liquid media. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications)

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14 pages, 4178 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Solar Light Induced Photon-Assisted Synthesis of TiO₂ Supported Highly Dispersed Ru Nanoparticle Catalysts

by Joanna Wojciechowska, Elisa Gitzhofer, Jacek Grams, Agnieszka M. Ruppert and Nicolas Keller

Materials 2018, 11(11), 2329; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11112329 - 19 Nov 2018

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4847

Abstract

Ru/TiO₂ are promising heterogeneous catalysts in different key-reactions taking place in the catalytic conversion of biomass towards fuel additives, biofuels, or biochemicals. TiO₂ supported highly dispersed nanometric-size metallic Ru catalysts were prepared at room temperature via a solar light induced photon-assisted one-step synthesis in liquid phase, far smaller Ru nanoparticles with sharper size distribution being synthesized when compared to the catalysts that were prepared by impregnation with thermal reduction in hydrogen. The underlying strategy is based on the redox photoactivity of the TiO₂ semi-conductor support under solar light for allowing the reduction of metal ions pre-adsorbed at the host surface by photogenerated electrons from the conduction band of the semi-conductor in order to get a fine control in terms of size distribution and dispersion, with no need of chemical reductant, final thermal treatment, or external hydrogen. Whether acetylacetonate or chloride was used as precursor, 0.6 nm sub-nanometric metallic Ru particles were synthesized on TiO₂ with a sharp size distribution at a low loading of 0.5 wt.%. Using the chloride precursor was necessary for preparing Ru/TiO₂ catalysts with a 0.8 nm sub-nanometric mean particle size at 5 wt.% loading, achieved in basic conditions for benefitting from the enhanced adsorption between the positively-charged chloro-complexes and the negatively-charged TiO₂ surface. Remarkably, within the 0.5–5 wt.% range, the Ru content had only a slight influence on the sub-nanometric particle size distribution, thanks to the implementation of suitable photo-assisted synthesis conditions. We demonstrated further that a fine control of the metal Ru nanoparticle size on the TiO₂ support was possible via a controlled nanocluster growth under irradiation, while the nanoparticles revealed a good resistance to thermal sintering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications)

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18 pages, 1536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of the Preparation Method (Sol-Gel or Hydrothermal) and Conditions on the TiO₂ Properties and Activity for Propene Oxidation

by Laura Cano-Casanova, Ana Amorós-Pérez, María Ángeles Lillo-Ródenas and María del Carmen Román-Martínez

Materials 2018, 11(11), 2227; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11112227 - 09 Nov 2018

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 3669

Abstract

Since the two most commonly used methods for TiO₂ preparation are sol-gel (SG) and hydrothermal (HT) synthesis, this study attempts to compare both methods in order to determine which one is the most suitable to prepare photocatalysts for propene oxidation. In addition, this work studies how the concentration of the HCl used for hydrolysis of the TiO₂ precursor affects the properties of the obtained materials. Also, the effect of avoiding the post-synthesis heat-treatment in a selection of samples is investigated. The photocatalysts are characterized by XRD, N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms and UV-vis spectroscopy, and the study tries to correlate the properties with the photocatalytic performance of the prepared TiO₂ samples in propene oxidation. TiO₂ materials with high crystallinity, between 67% and 81%, and surface area (up to 134 m²/g) have been obtained both by SG and HT methods. In general, the surface area and pore volume of the TiO₂-HT samples are larger than those of TiO₂-SG ones. The TiO₂-HT catalysts are, in general, more active than TiO₂-SG materials or P25 in the photo-oxidation of propene. The effect of HCl presence during the TiO₂ synthesis and of the post synthesis heat treatment are much more marked in the case of the SG materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications)

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10 pages, 1833 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Photocatalytic Oxidation of VOCs in Gas Phase Using Capillary Microreactors with Commercial TiO₂ (P25) Fillings

by Javier Fernández-Catalá, Ángel Berenguer-Murcia and Diego Cazorla-Amorós

Materials 2018, 11(7), 1149; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11071149 - 06 Jul 2018

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3305

Abstract

The elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at low concentration is a subject of great interest because these compounds are very harmful for the environment and human health. In this work, we have developed an easy methodology to immobilize a benchmark photocatalyst (P25) inside a capillary microreactor (Fused silica capillary with UV transparent coating) without any previous treatment. For this purpose, a dispersion of the sample (P25) in EtOH was used obtaining a packed bed configuration. We have improved the immobilization of the benchmark photocatalyst (P25) inside the capillary incorporating a surfactant (F-127) to generate porosity inside the microreactor to avoid severe pressure drops (∆P < 0.5 bar). The resulting capillaries were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). These microreactors show a good performance in the abatement of propene (VOC) under flow conditions per mol of active phase (P25) due to an improved mass transfer when the photocatalyst is inside the capillary. Moreover, the prepared microreactors present a higher CO₂ production rate (mole CO₂/(mole P25·s)) with respect to the same TiO₂ operating in a conventional reactor. The microreactor with low pressure drop is very interesting for the abatement of the VOCs since it improves the photoactivity of P25 per mol of TiO₂ operating at near atmospheric pressure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications)

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12 pages, 3844 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Preparation of TiO₂ Film by the Sol-Gel Method and Evaluation of Its Self-Cleaning Property

by Yu Liang, Sijia Sun, Tongrong Deng, Hao Ding, Wanting Chen and Ying Chen

Materials 2018, 11(3), 450; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11030450 - 19 Mar 2018

Cited by 54 | Viewed by 6423

Abstract

TiO₂ sol was produced by the sol-gel method through the hydrolysis and the aging of tetrabutyl titanate and the TiO₂ film was obtained by dipping and uniform lifting of the acid-treated and ultrasound-treated clean glass slides into the TiO₂ sol followed by aging, drying, and calcination. The effect of the hydrolysis control agents to the formed sol was researched and the crystalline state, the morphology, and the photocatalytic properties of the products after calcination were characterized. The structural morphology, the contact angles before and after illumination, and the self-cleaning properties of the TiO₂ film were characterized as well. The results showed that by using acetylacetone as the hydrolysis control agent, the formed TiO₂ sol had relatively high stability. The product after the calcination of the TiO₂ sol was of single anatase type with crystalline size of 18–20 nm and it could degrade nearly 100% of methylene blue after 90 min illumination. The formed TiO₂ film is compact, continuous, smooth, and had the properties of super-hydrophilicity (after 30 min illumination due to its contact angle decreasing from 21° to nearly 0°) and anti-fogging capability, which indicated its excellent self-cleaning property. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photocatalytic Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications)

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