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Advanced Oxide-Based Materials for Photocatalytic Applications
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Advanced Oxide-Based Materials for Photocatalytic Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Catalytic Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 January 2022) | Viewed by 24823

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Massimo Calamante

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organometallici ICCOM-CNR, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
Interests: organic synthesis; homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts; organic molecules for solar energy conversion; construction of DSSC devices

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Oxide-based photocatalysts have become a viable technology in various fields of application, such as photovoltaics, artificial photosynthesis and water splitting, hydrogen photoproduction, CO2 reduction, organic synthesis, chemical sensors, and photodegradation of air pollutants. The fields of application shown are very broad, and the study of new oxide-based materials in combination with organic compounds and/or metal nanoparticles is widely studied. After the historical discovery of Fujishima and Honda, much of the work was performed by taking the metal oxide system based on d0 and d10, and TiO2 is the most widely used oxide in the photocatalytic application, but other oxides can be used (ZnO, Fe2O3, Ta2O3, CuO, NiO, Cr2O3, RuO2, etc.). However, depending on the oxide-based material of the field of application, the different crystalline shape and composition can drastically modify the properties (band gap, active surface area, stability). In recent years, various specific aspects of oxide-based photocatalysis have been investigated. The purpose of this Special Issue in “Advanced Oxide-Based Materials for Photocatalytic Applications” is to show the current state-of-the-art in the synthesis, functionalization, characterization, and application of oxide-based materials in photocatalysis.

The Special Issue will cover but not be limited to the following topics:

  • Preparation of oxide-based and hybrid materials for photocatalytic application;
  • Use of oxide-based material as active support for metal nanoparticles and/or organic sensitizers;
  • Physical, chemical, and electrochemical characterization of oxide-based materials;
  • Applications of oxide-based materials on photocatalytic hydrogen production;
  • Applications of oxide-based materials on photocatalytic CO2 valorization;
  • Applications of oxide-based materials on photocatalytic organic reaction;
  • Applications of oxide-based materials for chemical sensors;
  • Application in environmental protection as photocatalysts on harmful inorganic and/or organic pollutants.

Dr. Massimo Calamante
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Inorganic oxides
  • Photocatalysts
  • Photoreforming
  • Pollutants photodegradation
  • Artificial photosynthesis
  • Heterogeneous photocatalytic organic synthesis
  • Photosensor
  • Surface chemistry
  • Immobilization
  • Characterization techniques
  • Environmental protection

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2262 KiB  
Article
Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Inactivation of Bacteria, Bacteriophages, and Their Mixtures Using ZnO-Coated HDPE Beads as Floating Photocatalyst
by Marius Urbonavicius, Sarunas Varnagiris, Simona Tuckute, Sandra Sakalauskaite, Emilija Demikyte and Martynas Lelis
Materials 2022, 15(4), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15041318 - 10 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1958
Abstract
Semiconductor materials used as photocatalysts are considered among the most effective ways to treat biologically polluted water. Certainly, efficiency depends on the selection of photocatalyst and its substrate, as well as the possibility of its application in a broader spectrum of light. In [...] Read more.
Semiconductor materials used as photocatalysts are considered among the most effective ways to treat biologically polluted water. Certainly, efficiency depends on the selection of photocatalyst and its substrate, as well as the possibility of its application in a broader spectrum of light. In this study, a reactive magnetron sputtering technique was applied for the immobilisation of ZnO photocatalyst on the surface of HDPE beads, which were selected as the buoyant substrates for enhanced photocatalytic performance and easier recovery from the treated water. Moreover, the study compared the effect on the inactivation of the microorganism between ZnO-coated HDPE beads without Ni and with Ni underlayer. Crystal structure, surface morphology, and chemical bonds of as-deposited ZnO films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. Visible-light-induced photocatalytic treatment was performed on the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and bacteriophages PRD1, T4, and their mixture. Higher bacteria inactivation efficiency was obtained using the ZnO photocatalyst with Ni underlayer for the treatment of S. Typhimurium and M. Luteus mixtures. As for infectivity of bacteriophages, T4 alone and in the mixture with PRD1 were more affected by the produced photocatalyst, compared with PRD1. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Oxide-Based Materials for Photocatalytic Applications)
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15 pages, 5733 KiB  
Article
Hydroponic Cultured Ginseng Leaves Zinc Oxides Nanocomposite Stabilized with CMC Polymer for Degradation of Hazardous Dyes in Wastewater Treatment
by Yinping Jin, Ling Li, Reshmi Akter, Esrat Jahan Rupa, Deok-Chun Yang, Se Chan Kang and Hao Zhang
Materials 2021, 14(21), 6557; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14216557 - 1 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2282
Abstract
This study demonstrated the synthesis of o-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC)-stabilized zinc oxide nanocomposites (ZnO NCs) combined with aqueous leaves extracts of hydroponically cultured ginseng and used as a photocatalyst for the degradation of hazardous dyes, including malachite green (MG), rhodamine B (RB), and congo [...] Read more.
This study demonstrated the synthesis of o-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC)-stabilized zinc oxide nanocomposites (ZnO NCs) combined with aqueous leaves extracts of hydroponically cultured ginseng and used as a photocatalyst for the degradation of hazardous dyes, including malachite green (MG), rhodamine B (RB), and congo red (CR) under ultraviolet illumination. Hydroponic ginseng leaves contain bioactive components, namely ginsenoside and natural polyphenol, which prompt ginseng’s biological effect. Besides, the CMC polymer is naturally biodegradable, stabilizes the nanoformation and enhances the solubility of ginsenoside. The hydroponic ginseng leaves zinc oxide CMC nanocomposites (GL–CMC–ZnO NCs) were synthesized using the co-precipitation method and characterized using different analytical methods. The FTIR analysis identified significant phytochemicals in the leaves extracts and cotton-shape morphology observed using FE-TEM analysis. The XRD analysis also determined that the crystallite size was 28 nm. The photocatalyst degraded CR, RB, and MG dyes by approximately 87%, 94%, and 96% within contact times of 10, 20, 25, and 30 min, respectively, when the dye concentration was 15 mg/L. As far as our knowledge, this is the first report on hydroponic ginseng NCs incorporated with the CMC polymer for the degradation of hazardous dyes on wastewater treatment. This study can add significant value to large-scale wastewater treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Oxide-Based Materials for Photocatalytic Applications)
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11 pages, 2683 KiB  
Article
Decoration of Zinc Oxide Nanorods into the Surface of Activated Carbon Obtained from Agricultural Waste for Effective Removal of Methylene Blue Dye
by Priyanka Shrestha, Manoj Kumar Jha, Jeevan Ghimire, Agni Raj Koirala, Rajeshwar Man Shrestha, Ram Kumar Sharma, Bishweshwar Pant, Mira Park and Hem Raj Pant
Materials 2020, 13(24), 5667; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13245667 - 11 Dec 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3521
Abstract
Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods incorporated activated carbon (AC) composite photocatalyst was synthesized using a hydrothermal process. The AC was prepared from lapsi (Choerospondias axillaris) seed stone, an agricultural waste product, found in Nepal by the chemical activation method. An aqueous suspension [...] Read more.
Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods incorporated activated carbon (AC) composite photocatalyst was synthesized using a hydrothermal process. The AC was prepared from lapsi (Choerospondias axillaris) seed stone, an agricultural waste product, found in Nepal by the chemical activation method. An aqueous suspension of AC with ZnO precursor was subjected to the hydrothermal treatment at 140 °C for 2 h to decorate ZnO rods into the surface of AC. As-obtained ZnO nanorods decorated activated carbon (ZnO/AC) photocatalyst was characterized by various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Results showed that highly crystalline hexagonal ZnO nanorods were effectively grown on the surface of porous AC. The photocatalytic property of the as-prepared ZnO/AC composite was studied by degrading methylene blue (MB) dye under UV-light irradiation. The ZnO/AC composite showed better photocatalytic property than that of the pristine ZnO nanorods. The enhanced photocatalytic performance in the case of the ZnO/AC composite is attributed to the combined effects of ZnO nanorods and AC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Oxide-Based Materials for Photocatalytic Applications)
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16 pages, 3191 KiB  
Article
Influence of Temperature Reaction for the CdSe–TiO2 Nanotube Thin Film Formation via Chemical Bath Deposition in Improving the Photoelectrochemical Activity
by Chin Wei Lai, Nurul Asma Samsudin, Foo Wah Low, Nur Azimah Abd Samad, Kung Shiuh Lau, Pui May Chou, Sieh Kiong Tiong and Nowshad Amin
Materials 2020, 13(11), 2533; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13112533 - 3 Jun 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2680
Abstract
In this present work, we report the deposition of cadmium selenide (CdSe) particles on titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube thin films, using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at low deposition temperatures ranging from 20 to 60 °C. The deposition temperature had [...] Read more.
In this present work, we report the deposition of cadmium selenide (CdSe) particles on titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube thin films, using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at low deposition temperatures ranging from 20 to 60 °C. The deposition temperature had an influence on the overall CdSe–TiO2 nanotube thin film morphologies, chemical composition, phase transition, and optical properties, which, in turn, influenced the photoelectrochemical performance of the samples that were investigated. All samples showed the presence of CdSe particles in the TiO2 nanotube thin film lattice structures with the cubic phase CdSe compound. The amount of CdSe loading on the TiO2 nanotube thin films were increased and tended to form agglomerates as a function of deposition temperature. Interestingly, a significant enhancement in photocurrent density was observed for the CdSe–TiO2 nanotube thin films deposited at 20 °C with a photocurrent density of 1.70 mA cm−2, which was 17% higher than the bare TiO2 nanotube thin films. This sample showed a clear surface morphology without any clogged nanotubes, leading to better ion diffusion, and, thus, an enhanced photocurrent density. Despite having the least CdSe loading on the TiO2 nanotube thin films, the CdSe–TiO2 nanotube thin films deposited at 20 °C showed the highest photocurrent density, which confirmed that a small amount of CdSe is enough to enhance the photoelectrochemical performance of the sample. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Oxide-Based Materials for Photocatalytic Applications)
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16 pages, 10401 KiB  
Article
Polypropylene/ZnO Nanocomposites: Mechanical Properties, Photocatalytic Dye Degradation, and Antibacterial Property
by Ampawan Prasert, Somchoke Sontikaew, Dilok Sriprapai and Surawut Chuangchote
Materials 2020, 13(4), 914; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13040914 - 19 Feb 2020
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 4774
Abstract
Nanocomposite materials were prepared by compounding polypropylene (PP) with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, using a twin-screw extruder. The compound was molded by injection molding to form dumbbell-shaped specimens. The influence of ZnO nanoparticle content on the morphology, mechanical properties, chemical structure, photocatalytic activity, [...] Read more.
Nanocomposite materials were prepared by compounding polypropylene (PP) with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, using a twin-screw extruder. The compound was molded by injection molding to form dumbbell-shaped specimens. The influence of ZnO nanoparticle content on the morphology, mechanical properties, chemical structure, photocatalytic activity, and antibacterial properties of the obtained nanocomposites was investigated. The morphological images showed that the ZnO nanoparticles were well distributed in the PP matrix. Characterizations of the mechanical properties and chemical structures before and after sunlight exposure found that at the shortest exposure time, crosslinks could occur in the nanocomposites, which resulted in improved mechanical properties. However, sunlight exposure with the time period longer than 18 weeks caused the reduction of the mechanical properties, due to degradation of the PP matrix. It was found that PP with 2% ZnO could achieve the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue up to 59%. Moreover, the result of antibacterial tests indicated that the nanocomposites had better antibacterial properties than neat PP. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Oxide-Based Materials for Photocatalytic Applications)
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Review

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33 pages, 37468 KiB  
Review
Photocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide on TiO2 Heterojunction Photocatalysts—A Review
by Beatriz Trindade Barrocas, Nela Ambrožová and Kamila Kočí
Materials 2022, 15(3), 967; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15030967 - 26 Jan 2022
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 8762
Abstract
The photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to renewable fuel or other valuable chemicals using solar energy is attracting the interest of researchers because of its great potential to offer a clean fuel alternative and solve global warming problems. Unfortunately, the efficiency of CO [...] Read more.
The photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to renewable fuel or other valuable chemicals using solar energy is attracting the interest of researchers because of its great potential to offer a clean fuel alternative and solve global warming problems. Unfortunately, the efficiency of CO2 photocatalytic reduction remains not very high due to the fast recombination of photogenerated electron–hole and small light utilization. Consequently, tremendous efforts have been made to solve these problems, and one possible solution is the use of heterojunction photocatalysts. This review begins with the fundamental aspects of CO2 photocatalytic reduction and the fundamental principles of various heterojunction photocatalysts. In the following part, we discuss using TiO2 heterojunction photocatalysts with other semiconductors, such as C3N4, CeO2, CuO, CdS, MoS2, GaP, CaTiO3 and FeTiO3. Finally, a concise summary and presentation of perspectives in the field of heterojunction photocatalysts are provided. The review covers references in the years 2011–2021. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Oxide-Based Materials for Photocatalytic Applications)
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