Ti3C2/TiO2 nanowires with excellent photocatalytic performance for selective oxidation of aromatic alcohols to aldehydes

Insights on the efficiency and contribution of single active species in photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline: Priority attack active sites, intermediate products and their toxicity evaluation

Photocatalysis has been proven to be an excellent technology for treating antibiotic wastewater, but the impact of each active species involved in the process on antibiotic degradation is still unclear. Therefore, the S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst Ti3C2/g-C3N4/TiO2 was successfully synthesized using melamine and Ti3C2 as precursors by a one-step calcination method using mechanical stirring and ultrasound assistance. Its formation mechanism was studied in detail through multiple characterizations and work function calculations. The heterojunction photocatalyst not only enabled it to retain active species with strong oxidation and reduction abilities, but also significantly promoted the separation and transfer of photo-generated carriers, exhibiting an excellent degradation efficiency of 94.19 % for tetracycline (TC) within 120 min. Importantly, the priority attack sites, degradation pathways, degradation intermediates and their ecological toxicity of TC under the action of each single active species (·O2-, h+, ·OH) were first positively explored and evaluated through design experiments, Fukui function theory calculations, HPLC-MS, Escherichia coli toxicity experiments, and ECOSAR program. The results indicated that the preferred attack sites of ·O2- on TC were O20, C7, C11, O21, and N25 atoms with high f+ value. The toxicity of intermediates produced by ·O2- was also lower than those produced by h+ and ·OH.

Simultaneous Photocatalytic Tetracycline Oxidation and Cr(VI) Reduction by Z-Scheme Multiple Layer TiO2/SnIn4S8

Wastewater pollutants are a major threat to natural resources, with antibiotics and heavy metals being common water contaminants. By harnessing clean, renewable solar energy, photocatalysis facilitates the synergistic removal of heavy metals and antibiotics. In this paper, MXene was both a template and raw material, and MXene-derived oxide (TiO2) and SnIn4S8 Z-scheme composite materials were synthesized and characterized. The synergistic mode of photocatalytic reduction and oxidation leads to the enhanced utilization of e-/h+ pairs. The TiO2/SnIn4S8 exhibited a higher photocatalytic capacity for the simultaneous removal of tetracycline (TC) (20 mg·L-1) and Cr(VI) (15 mg·L-1). The main active substances of TC degradation and Cr(VI) reduction were identified via free radical scavengers and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Additionally, the potential photocatalytic degradation route of TC was thoroughly elucidated through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

Stabilizing BiVO4 Photoanode in Bicarbonate Electrolyte for Efficient Photoelectrocatalytic Alcohol Oxidation

In order to expand the application of bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) to the field of photoelectrochemistry, researchers have explored the potential of BiVO4 in catalyzing or degrading organic substances, potentially presenting a green and eco-friendly solution. A study was conducted to investigate the impact of electrolytes on the photocatalysis of benzyl alcohol by BiVO4. The research discovered that, in an acetonitrile electrolyte (pH 9) with sodium bicarbonate, BiVO4 catalyzed benzyl alcohol by introducing saturated V5+. This innovation addressed the issue of benzyl alcohol being susceptible to catalysis in an alkaline setting, as V5+ was prone to dissolution in pH 9 on BiVO4. The concern of the photocorrosion of BiVO4 was mitigated through two approaches. Firstly, the incorporation of a non-aqueous medium inhibited the formation of active material intermediates, reducing the susceptibility of the electrode surface to photocorrosion. Secondly, the presence of saturated V5+ further deterred the leaching of V5+. Concurrently, the production of carbonate radicals by bicarbonate played a vital role in catalyzing benzyl alcohol. The results show that, in this system, BiVO4 has the potential to oxidize benzyl alcohol by photocatalysis.

In situ construction of a hierarchical TiO2/Ti3C2 hybrid via water steam etching for high-performance potassium-ion batteries

Potassium ion batteries (PIBs) have attracted great research interest in new-generation large-scale energy storage considering their abundant source, low cost, and suitable working potential. Herein, a hierarchical TiO2/Ti3C2 hybrid is developed via a green, facile water steam etching method for realizing an efficient and durable anode material for PIBs. In this hierarchical assembly, the TiO2 nanoparticles anchored on the Ti3C2 surface contribute a high pseudocapacitance while mitigating the restacking of the Ti3C2 MXene skeleton, which ensures mechanical robustness to accommodate large K+ ions. Benefiting from the amalgamation of structural properties and the synergistic effects stemming from the individual constituents, the optimized TiO2/Ti3C2 anode harvests remarkable performance in the potassium ion storage, including a high reversible capacity of ∼255 mA h g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 after 1300 cycles as well as an outstanding long-term cycling performance and rate capability (a high capacity of ∼230 mA h g-1 even after intensive 10 000 cycles at 2 A g-1). The excellent TiO2/Ti3C2 anode enables the assembled pouch-cell coupling PTCDA cathode to deliver a capacity of ∼173 mA h g-1 at 0.05 A g-1 and retain 120 mA h g-1 after 30 cycles. The employment of the pouch-cell in successfully powering the LED module showcases its application prospect for advanced PIBs.

Optically Active MXenes in Van der Waals Heterostructures

The vertical integration of distinct 2D materials in van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures provides the opportunity for interface engineering and modulation of electronic as well as optical properties. However, scarce experimental studies reveal many challenges for vdW heterostructures, hampering the fine-tuning of their electronic and optical functionalities. Optically active MXenes, the most recent member of the 2D family, with excellent hydrophilicity, rich surface chemistry, and intriguing optical properties, are a novel 2D platform for optoelectronics applications. Coupling MXenes with various 2D materials into vdW heterostructures can open new avenues for the exploration of physical phenomena of novel quantum-confined nanostructures and devices. Therefore, the fundamental basis and recent findings in vertical vdW heterostructures composed of MXenes as a primary component and other 2D materials as secondary components are examined. Their robust designs and synthesis approaches that can push the boundaries of light-harvesting, transition, and utilization are discussed, since MXenes provide a unique playground for pursuing an extraordinary optical response or unusual light conversion features/functionalities. The recent findings are finally summarized, and a perspective for the future development of next-generation vdW multifunctional materials enriched by MXenes is provided.

High-efficiency visible-light-driven oxidation of primary C-H bonds in toluene over a CsPbBr3 perovskite supported by hierarchical TiO2 nanoflakes

Photocatalytic oxidation of toluene to valuable fine chemicals is of great significance, yet faces challenges in the development of advanced catalysts with both high activity and selectivity for the activation of inert C(sp3)-H bonds. Halide perovskites with remarkable optoelectronic properties have shown to be prospective photoactive materials, but the bulky structure with a small surface area and severe recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs are obstacles to application. Here, we fabricate a hierarchical nanoflower-shaped CsPbBr3/TiO2 heterojunction by assembling CsPbBr3 nanoparticles on 2D TiO2 nanoflake subunits. The design significantly downsizes the size of CsPbBr3 from micrometers to nanometers, and forms a type II heterojunction with intimate interfacial contact between CsPbBr3 and TiO2 nanoflakes, thereby accelerating the separation and transfer of photogenerated charges. Moreover, the formed hierarchical heterojunction increaseslight absorption by refraction and scattering, offers a large surface area and enhances the adsorption of toluene molecules. Consequently, the optimized CsPbBr3/TiO2 exhibits a high performance (10 200 μmol g-1 h-1) for photocatalytic toluene oxidation with high selectivity (85%) for benzaldehyde generation under visible light. The photoactivity is about 20 times higher than that of blank CsPbBr3, and is among the best photocatalytic performances reported for selective oxidation of toluene under visible light irradiation.

Flexible, Transparent, and Wafer-Scale Artificial Synapse Array Based on TiOx /Ti3 C2 Tx Film for Neuromorphic Computing

A high-density neuromorphic computing memristor array based on 2D materials paves the way for next-generation information-processing components and in-memory computing systems. However, the traditional 2D-materials-based memristor devices suffer from poor flexibility and opacity, which hinders the application of memristors in flexible electronics. Here, a flexible artificial synapse array based on TiOx /Ti3 C2 Tx film is fabricated by a convenient and energy-efficient solution-processing technique, which realizes high transmittance (≈90%) and oxidation resistance (>30 days). The TiOx /Ti3 C2 Tx memristor shows low device-to-device variability, long memory retention and endurance, a high ON/OFF ratio, and fundamental synaptic behavior. Furthermore, satisfactory flexibility (R = 1.0 mm) and mechanical endurance (104 bending cycles) of the TiOx /Ti3 C2 Tx memristor are achieved, which is superior to other film memristors prepared by chemical vapor deposition. In addition, high-precision (>96.44%) MNIST handwritten digits recognition classification simulation indicates that the TiOx /Ti3 C2 Tx artificial synapse array holds promise for future neuromorphic computing applications, and provides excellent high-density neuron circuits for new flexible intelligent electronic equipment.

Selectively Permeable FeOOH Amorphous Layer Coating CdS for Enhancing Photocatalytic Conversion of Benzyl Alcohol and Selectivity to Benzaldehyde

The development of new strategies to improve reaction efficiency and light utilization is one of the biggest challenges in photosynthetic chemistry. Dynamics control, particularly tuning the adsorption/desorption of reactants and products, is an ideal way to improve the conversion and selectivity in catalytic reactions, but it is rarely studied for photocatalytic organic synthesis. This study concerns the design of an amorphous FeOOH coating to decorate CdS photocatalyst to control the adsorption and desorption of reactants and products to improve reaction efficiency for the photocatalytic conversion of benzyl alcohol (BA) into benzaldehyde (BAD). The best conversion of the core-shell photocatalyst is 74.1 % in 2 h, together with >99.9 % selectivity to BAD, and the photocatalyst exhibits response above 600 nm, which is the longest active wavelength reported for the reaction. Further data illustrate that the amorphous FeOOH coating enables selective sorption of BA/BAD molecules by H-bonding interactions, which may result in the excellent performance. Construction of amorphous coating layers and understanding the selective permeability may provide a new strategy for the design of more efficient photocatalytic systems for organic synthesis.

Carbazole-Involved Conjugated Microporous Polymer Hollow Spheres for Selective Photocatalytic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol under Visible-Light Irradiation

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) have been considered a type of promising visible-light-driven, organic photocatalysts. However, apart from designing high-performance CMPs from a molecular perspective, little attention is paid to improving the photocatalytic properties of these polymers through macrostructural regulation. Herein, we prepared a kind of hollow spherical CMPs involving carbazole monomers and studied their performance on the selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol under visible light irradiation. The results demonstrate that the introduction of a hollow spherical structure improves the physicochemical properties of the as-designed CMPs, including the specific surface areas, optoelectronic characteristics, as well as photocatalytic performance, etc. In particular, the hollow CMPs can more effectively oxidize benzyl alcohol compared to pristine ones under blue light illumination, and produce >1 mmol of benzaldehyde in 4.5 h with a yield of up to 9 mmol·g^-1·h^-1, which is almost 5 times higher than that of the pristine ones. Furthermore, such hollow architecture has a similar enhanced effect on the oxidation of some other aromatic alcohols. This work shows that the deliberate construction of specific macrostructures can better arouse the photocatalytic activity of the as-designed CMPs, which will contribute to the further use of these organic polymer semiconductors in photocatalysis areas.

A photoelectrochemical biosensor based on b-TiO2/CdS:Eu/Ti3C2 heterojunction for the ultrasensitive detection of miRNA-21

A novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor based on b-TiO₂/CdS:Eu/Ti₃C₂ heterojunction was developed for ultrasensitive determination of miRNA-21. In this device, the b-TiO₂/CdS:Eu/Ti₃C₂ heterojunction with excellent energy level arrangement effectively facilitated photoelectric conversion efficiency and accelerated the separation of the photogenerated electron hole pairs, which because that the structure of heterojunction overcomes the drawbacks of single material, such as narrow light absorption range, wide band gap, short carrier lifetime, etc., improves light utilization, extends the lifetime of photogenerated electron hole pairs, and promotes electron transfer. Herein, hairpin DNA1 (H1) decorated on the b-TiO₂/CdS:Eu/Ti₃C₂ electrode surface by Cd-S bonds, after H2/miRNA-21 heterduplex was introduced, the strand-displacement reaction (SDR) was triggered between H1 and H2/miRNA-21, accordingly, miRNA-21 was discharged from the H2/miRNA-21 heterduplex, forming the H1/H2 duplex, and the reuse of miRNA-21 was realized. As a signal amplification factor, the signal amplification factor H3-CdSe was hybridized with H1/H2 duplex, which greatly enhanced the sensitivity of the PEC biosensor. Under optimal conditions, the designed PEC biosensor displayed outstanding sensitivity, selectivity and stability with a wide liner range from 1.0 μM to 10.0 fM and a low detection limit of 3.3 fM. The preparation of the optoelectronic material affords a new direction for the progress of heterojunction photovoltaic materials and the construction of the proposed biosensor also provides a new thought for the PEC detection of human miRNA-21 with superior performance. Simultaneously, the established biosensor exhibiting tremendous possibility for detecting other biomarkers and biomolecules in clinical diagnosis fields.

Role of p-n junction initiated mixed-dimensional 0D/2D, 1D/2D, and 2D/2D BiOX (X = Cl, Br, and I)/TiO2 nanocomposite interfaces for environmental remediation applications: A review

Nowadays, we are critically facing various environmental issues. Among these, water contamination is the foremost issue, which worsens our health and living organisms in the water. Thus, it is necessary to provide an avenue to minimize the toxic matter through the development of facile technique and harmless photocatalyst. In this review, we intended to uncover the findings associated with various 0D, 1D, and 2D nanostructures featured photocatalysts for advancements in interfacial characteristics and toxic matter degradation. In this context, we evaluated the promising mixed-dimensional 0D/2D, 1D/2D, and 2D/2D bismuth oxyhalides BiOX (X = Cl, Br, and I) integrated TiO₂ nanostructure interfaces. Tunable mixed-dimensional interfaces highlighted with higher surface area, more heterojunctions, variation in the conduction and valence band potential, narrowed band gap, and built-in electric field formation between BiOX and TiO₂, which exhibits remarkable toxic dye, heavy metals, and antibiotics degradation. Further, this review further examines insights into the charge carrier generation, separation, and shortened charge transfer path at reduced recombination. Considering the advantages of type-II, S-scheme, and Z-scheme charge transfer mechanisms in the BiOX/TiO₂, we heightened the combination of various reactive species generation. In a word, the concept of mixed-dimensional BiOX/TiO₂ heterojunction interface endows toxic matter adsorption and decomposition into useful products. Challenges and future perspectives are also provided.

Hydrodehalogenation of Trichlorofluoromethane over Biogenic Palladium Nanoparticles in Ambient Conditions

Among a number of persistent chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs, or freons), the emissions of trichlorofluoromethane (CFCl₃, CFC-11) have been increasing since 2002. Zero-valent-Pd (Pd⁰) catalysts are known to hydrodehalogenate CFCs; however, most studies rely on cost-inefficient and eco-unfriendly chemical synthesis of Pd⁰NPs and harsh reaction conditions. In this study, we synthesized Pd⁰ nanoparticles (Pd⁰NPs) using D. vulgaris biomass as the support and evaluated hydrodehalogenation of CFC-11 catalyzed by the biogenic Pd⁰NPs. The presence of D. vulgaris biomass stabilized and dispersed 3-6 nm Pd⁰NPs that were highly active. We documented, for the first time, Pd⁰-catalyzed simultaneous hydrodechlorination and hydrodefluorination of CFC-11 at ambient conditions (room temperature and 1 atm). More than 70% CFC-11 removal was achieved within 15 h with a catalytic activity of 1.5 L/g-Pd/h, dechlorination was 50%, defluorination was 41%, and selectivity to fully dehalogenated methane was >30%. The reaction pathway had a mixture of parallel and sequential hydrodehalogenation. In particular, hydrodefluorination was favored by higher H₂ availability and Pd⁰:CFC-11 ratio. This study offers a promising strategy for efficient and sustainable treatment of freon-contaminated water.

High specific surface CeO2-NPs doped loose porous C3N4for enhanced photocatalytic oxidation ability

Porous C₃N₄(PCN) is favored by researchers because it has more surface active sites, higher specific surface area and stronger light absorption ability than traditional g-C₃N₄. In this study, cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeO₂-NPs) with mixed valence state of Ce³⁺and Ce⁴⁺were doped into the PCN framework by a two-step method. The results indicate that CeO₂-NPs are highly dispersed in the PCN framework, which leads to a narrower band gap, a wider range of the light response and an improved the separation efficiency of photogenerated charge in PCN. Moreover, the specific surface area (145.69 m²g^-1) of CeO₂-NPs doped PCN is a 25.5% enhancement than that of PCN (116.13 m²g^-1). In the experiment of photocatalytic selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol, CeO₂-NPs doped porous C₃N₄exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity, especially Ce-PCN-30. The conversion rate of benzyl alcohol reaches 74.9% using Ce-PCN-30 as photocatalyst by 8 h of illumination, which is 25.7% higher than that of pure porous C₃N₄. Additionally, CeO₂-NPs doped porous C₃N₄also exhibits better photocatalytic efficiency for other aromatic alcohols.

Ultrasound-assisted pseudohomogeneous tungstate catalyst for selective oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes

The idea of applying ultrasound (US) as a green activation method in chemical transformations, especially in catalytic alcohol oxidations, technically and ecologically appeals to chemists. In the present work, as an attempt to fulfill the idea of designing an eco-friendly system to oxidize alcoholic substrates into corresponding aldehydes, we developed multifunctional tungstate-decorated CQD base catalyst, A-CQDs/W, and examined its sonooxidation performance in presence of H₂O₂ as a green oxidant in aqua media. By comparing the catalyst performance in oxidize benzyl alcohol as a testing model to benzaldehyde (BeOH) prior and after US irradiation—trace vs 93%- the key role of ultrasonic irradiation in achieving high yield is completely appreciated. Exceptional thermal and compression condition that is created as a result of acoustic waves is in charge of unparalleled yield results in this type of activation method. The immense degree of reagent interaction in this method, ensures the maximum yield in notably low time, which in turn leads to decrease in the number of unreacted reagents and by-products. Meanwhile, the need for using toxic organic solvents and hazardous oxidants, auxiliaries and phase transfer catalyst (PTC) is completely obviated.

Facile synthesis of a nano titanium catalyst and its performance in selective oxidation of aromatic and pyridinic alcohols under visible light

The oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds is of great significance in chemical synthesis and fine chemical production.

Efficient H2 evolution on Co3S4/Zn0.5Cd0.5S nanocomposite by photocatalytic synergistic reaction

To achieve high photocatalytic efficiency of H2 evolution, promoting the utilization rate of photogenerated charge carriers by photocatalytic synergistic reaction is an efficient strategy. In this work, Co3S4/Zn0.5Cd0.5S nanocomposites with...

Enabling methanol oxidation by interacting hybrid nano system of spinel Co3O4 nanoparticles decorated MXene

For the successful implementation of direct methanol fuel cells in the commercial applications, highly efficient and durable non-noble electrocatalyst based on conducting and stable non-carbonaceous support can be a potential...

Degradation of Landfill Leachate Using UV-TiO2 Photocatalysis Combination with Aged Waste Reactors

This study explored the performance of TiO2 nanoparticles in combination with aged waste reactors to treat landfill leachate. The optimum conditions for synthesis of TiO2 were determined by a series of characterizations and removal rates of methyl orange. The effect of the ultraviolet irradiation time, amount of the catalyst, and pH on the removal efficiency for the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color in the leachate was explored to determine the optimal process conditions, which were 500 min, 4 g/L and 8.88, respectively. The removal rates for COD and chroma under three optimal conditions were obtained by the single factor control method: 89% and 70%; 95.56% and 70%; and 85% and 87.5%, respectively. Under optimal process conditions, the overall average removal rates for ammonium nitrogen (NH4+–N) and COD in the leachate for the combination of TiO2 nanoparticles and an aged waste reactor were 98.8% and 32.5%, respectively, and the nitrate (NO3−–N) and nitrite nitrogen (NO2–N) concentrations were maintained at 7–9 and 0.01–0.017 mg/L, respectively. TiO2 nanoparticles before and after the photocatalytic reaction were characterized by emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. In addition, TiO2 nanoparticles have excellent recyclability, showing the potential of the photocatalytic/biological combined treatment of landfill leachate. This simulation of photocatalysis-landfilling could be a baseline study for the implementation of technology at the pilot scale.

Synthesis of coralloid carbon nitride polymers and photocatalytic selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol

Polymeric carbon nitride (C₃N₄) is currently the most potential nonmetallic photocatalyst, but it suffers from low catalytic activity due to rapid electron-hole recombination behavior and low specific surface area. The morphology control of C₃N₄is one of the effective methods used to achieve higher photocatalytic performance. Here, bulk, lamellar and coralloid C₃N₄were synthesized using different chemical methods. The as-prepared coralloid C₃N₄has a higher specific surface area (123.7 m² · g^-1) than bulk (5.4 m² · g^-1) and lamellar C₃N₄(2.8 m² · g^-1), thus exhibiting a 3.15- and 2.59-fold higher photocatalytic efficiency for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol than bulk and lamellar C₃N₄, respectively. Optical characterizations of the photocatalysts suggest that coralloid C₃N₄can effectively capture electrons and accelerate carrier separation, which is caused by the presence of more nitrogen vacancies. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that superoxide radicals (·O₂^-) and holes (h⁺) play major roles in the photocatalytic selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol using C₃N₄as a photocatalyst.

Mechanism of surface and interface engineering under diverse dimensional combinations: the construction of efficient nanostructured MXene-based photocatalysts

Proposed scheme of the surface and interface engineering to improve the charge separation efficiency of MXene-based photocatalysts.

Selective photocatalytic oxidation of aromatic alcohols to aldehydes with air by magnetic WO3ZnO/Fe3O4. In situ photochemical synthesis of 2-substituted benzimidazoles

Recently, visible light-driven organic photochemical synthesis has been a pioneering field of interest from academic and industrial associations due to its unique features of green and sustainable chemistry. Herein, WO3ZnO/Fe3O4 was synthesized, characterized, and used as an efficient magnetic photocatalyst in the preparation of a range of 2-substituted benzimidazoles via the condensation of benzyl alcohol and o-phenylenediamine in ethanol at room temperature for the first time. The key feature of this work is focused on the in situ photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohols to benzaldehydes under atmospheric air and in the absence of any further oxidant. This new heterogeneous nanophotocatalyst was characterized via XRD, FT-IR, VSM and SEM. Short reaction time, cost-effectiveness, broad substrate scope, easy work-up by an external magnet, and excellent product yield are the major advantages of the present methodology. A number of effective experimental parameters were also fully investigated to clear broadness and generality of the protocol.

Eco-Friendly and Solvent-Less Mechanochemical Synthesis of ZrO2–MnCO3/N-Doped Graphene Nanocomposites: A Highly Efficacious Catalyst for Base-Free Aerobic Oxidation of Various Types of Alcohols

In recent years, the development of green mechanochemical processes for the synthesis of new catalysts with higher catalytic efficacy and selectivity has received manifest interest. In continuation of our previous study, in which graphene oxide (GRO) and highly reduced graphene oxide (HRG) based nanocomposites were prepared and assessed, herein, we have explored a facile and solvent-less mechanochemical approach for the synthesis of N-doped graphene (NDG)/mixed metal oxide (MnCO3–ZrO2) ((X%)NDG/MnCO3–ZrO2), as the (X%)NDG/MnCO3–ZrO2 nano-composite was synthesized using physical grinding of separately synthesized NDG and pre-calcined (300 °C) MnCO3–ZrO2 via green milling method. The structures of the prepared materials were characterized in detail using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm analysis. Besides, the obtained nanocomposites were employed as heterogeneous oxidation catalyst for the alcohol oxidation using green oxidant O2 without involving any surfactants or bases. The reaction factors were systematically studied during the oxidation of benzyl alcohol (PhCH2OH) as the model reactant to benzaldehyde (PhCHO). The NDG/MnCO3–ZrO2 exhibits premium specific activity (66.7 mmol·g−1·h−1) with 100% conversion of PhCH2OH and > 99.9% selectivity to PhCHO after only 6 min. The mechanochemically prepared NDG based nanocomposite exhibited notable improvement in the catalytic efficacy as well as the surface area compared to the pristine MnCO3–ZrO2. Under the optimal circumstances, the NDG/MnCO3–ZrO2 catalyst could selectively catalyze the aerobic oxidation of a broad array of alcohols to carbonyls with full convertibility without over-oxidized side products like acids. The NDG/MnCO3–ZrO2 catalyst were efficiently reused for six subsequent recycling reactions with a marginal decline in performance and selectivity.