Zinc phthalocyanine hierarchical nanostructure with hollow interior space: solvent-thermal synthesis and high visible photocatalytic property

Efficient Charge Separation and Transport in Fullerene-CuPcOC8 Donor-Acceptor Nanorod Enhancing Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation

Photocatalytic hydrogen generation via water decomposition is a promising avenue in the pursuit of large-scale, cost-effective renewable hydrogen energy generation. However, the design of an efficient photocatalyst plays a crucial role in achieving high yields in hydrogen generation. Herein, we have engineered a fullerene-2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octa(octyloxy)copper phthalocyanine (C60-CuPcOC8) photocatalyst, achieving both efficient hydrogen generation and high stability. The significant donor-acceptor (D-A) interactions facilitate the efficient electron transfer from CuPcOC8 to C60. The rate of photocatalytic hydrogen generation for C60-CuPcOC8 is 8.32 mmol·g-1·h-1, which is two orders of magnitude higher than the individual C60 and CuPcOC8. The remarkable increase in hydrogen generation activity can be attributed to the development of a robust internal electric field within the C60-CuPcOC8 assembly. It is 16.68 times higher than that of the pure CuPcOC8. The strong internal electric field facilitates the rapid separation within 0.6 ps, enabling photogenerated charge transfer efficiently. Notably, the hydrogen generation efficiency of C60-CuPcOC8 remains above 95%, even after 10 h, showing its exceptional photocatalytic stability. This study provides critical insight into advancing the field of photocatalysis.

Advanced oxidation process for the treatment of industrial wastewater: A review on strategies, mechanisms, bottlenecks and prospects

Due to its complex and, often, highly contaminated nature, treating industrial wastewater poses a significant environmental problem. Many of the persistent pollutants found in industrial effluents cannot be effectively removed by conventional treatment procedures. Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) have emerged as a promising solution, offering versatile and effective means of pollutant removal and mineralization. This comprehensive review explores the application of various AOP strategies in industrial wastewater treatment, focusing on their mechanisms and effectiveness. Ozonation (O3): Ozonation, leveraging ozone (O3), represents a well-established AOP for industrial waste water treatment. Ozone's formidable oxidative potential enables the breakdown of a broad spectrum of organic and inorganic contaminants. This paper provides an in-depth examination of ozone reactions, practical applications, and considerations involved in implementing ozonation. UV/Hydrogen Peroxide (UV/H2O2): The combination of ultraviolet (UV) light and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has gained prominence as an AOP due to its ability to generate hydroxyl radicals (ȮH), highly efficient in pollutant degradation. The review explores factors influencing the efficiency of UV/H2O2 processes, including H2O2 dosage and UV radiation intensity. Fenton and Photo-Fenton Processes: Fenton's reagent and Photo-Fenton processes employ iron ions and hydrogen peroxide to generate hydroxyl radicals for pollutant oxidation. The paper delves into the mechanisms, catalyst selection, and the role of photoactivation in enhancing degradation rates within the context of industrial wastewater treatment. Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes (EAOPs): EAOPs encompass a range of techniques, such as electro-Fenton and anodic oxidation, which employ electrode reactions to produce ȮH radicals. This review explores the electrochemical principles, electrode materials, and operational parameters critical for optimizing EAOPs in industrial wastewater treatment. TiO2 Photocatalysis (UV/TiO2): Titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalysis, driven by UV light, is examined for its potential in industrial wastewater treatment. The review investigates TiO2 catalyst properties, reaction mechanisms, and the influence of parameters like catalyst loading and UV intensity on pollutant removal. Sonolysis (Ultrasonic Irradiation): High-frequency ultrasound-induced sonolysis represents a unique AOP, generating ȮH radicals during the formation and collapse of cavitation bubbles. This paper delves into the physics of cavitation, sonolytic reactions, and optimization strategies for industrial wastewater treatment. This review offers a critical assessment of the applicability, advantages, and limitations of these AOP strategies in addressing the diverse challenges posed by industrial wastewater. It emphasizes the importance of selecting AOPs tailored to the specific characteristics of industrial effluents and outlines potential directions for future research and practical implementation. The integrated use of these AOPs, when appropriately adapted, holds the potential to achieve sustainable and efficient treatment of industrial wastewater, contributing significantly to environmental preservation and regulatory compliance.

Advances in photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in wastewaters: harnessing the power of phthalocyanines and phthalocyanine-containing materials

Access to clean water is increasingly challenging worldwide due to human activities and climate change. Wastewater treatment and utilization offer a promising solution by reducing the reliance on pure underground water. However, it is crucial to develop efficient and sustainable methods for wastewater purification. Among the emerging wastewater treatment strategies, photocatalysis has gained significant attention for decomposing organic pollutants in water, especially when combined with sunlight and a recoverable photocatalyst. Heterogeneous photocatalysts have distinct advantages, as they can be recovered and reused without significant loss of activity over multiple cycles. Phthalocyanine dyes, with their exceptional photophysical properties, are particularly valuable for homogeneous and heterogeneous photocatalysis. By immobilizing these photosensitizers in various supports, hybrid materials extend their light absorption into the visible spectrum, complementing most supports' limited UV light absorption. The novelty and research importance of this review stems from its discussion of the multifaceted approach to treating contaminated wastewater with phthalocyanines and materials containing phthalocyanines. It highlights key aspects of each study, including photocatalytic efficiency, recyclability characteristics, investigation of the generation of oxygen species responsible for degradation, identification of the major degradation byproducts for each pollutant, and others. Moreover, the review includes tables that illustrate and compare the various phthalocyanines and supporting materials employed in each study for pollutant degradation. Additionally, almost all photocatalysts mentioned in this review could degrade at least 5% of the pollutant, and more than 50 photocatalysts showed photocatalytic rates above 50%. When immobilized in some support, the synergistic effect of the phthalocyanine was visible in the photocatalytic rate of the studied pollutant. However, when performing these types of works, it is necessary to understand the degradation products of each pollutant and their relative toxicities. Along with this, recyclability and stability studies are also necessary. Despite the good results presented in this review, some of the works lack those studies. Moreover, none of the works mentions any study in wastewater.

Iron phthalocyanine-sensitized magnetic catalysts for BPA photodegradation

The catalytic behavior of iron phthalocyanine (FePc)-sensitized magnetic nanocatalysts was evaluated for their application in the oxidative treatment of Bisphenol A (BPA) under mild environmental conditions. Two types of FePc (Fe(II)Pc and Fe(III)Pc), which are highly photosensitive compounds, were immobilized on the surface of functionalized magnetite. The nanomaterials were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA). The generation of singlet oxygen by nanomaterials was also investigated. In the presence of UVA light exposure (365 nm) and 15 mM H₂O₂, the M@Fe(III)Pc photocatalyst gave the best results; for a catalyst concentration of 2.0 g L ^− 1, around 60% BPA was removed after 120 min of reaction. These experimental conditions were further tested under natural solar light exposure, for which also M@Fe(III)Pc exhibited enhanced oxidative catalytic activity, being able to remove 83% of BPA in solution. The water samples were less cytotoxic after treatment, this being confirmed by the MCF-7 cell viability assay.

Green synthesis and characterization of crystalline zinc phthalocyanine and cobalt phthalocyanine prisms by a simple solvothermal route

Solvothermal growth of ZnPc and CoPc crystals in one step.

Porphyrin-Based Nanostructures for Photocatalytic Applications

Well-defined organic nanostructures with controllable size and morphology are increasingly exploited in optoelectronic devices. As promising building blocks, porphyrins have demonstrated great potentials in visible-light photocatalytic applications, because of their electrical, optical and catalytic properties. From this perspective, we have summarized the recent significant advances on the design and photocatalytic applications of porphyrin-based nanostructures. The rational strategies, such as texture or crystal modification and interfacial heterostructuring, are described. The applications of the porphyrin-based nanostructures in photocatalytic pollutant degradation and hydrogen evolution are presented. Finally, the ongoing challenges and opportunities for the future development of porphyrin nanostructures in high-quality nanodevices are also proposed.

Facile synthesis of ZnPc nanoflakes for cold cathode emission

Field emission characteristics of well resolved ZnPc nanoflakes through hydrothermal method and simulation via finite element method.

Efficient and persistent cold cathode emission from CuPc nanotubes: a joint experimental and simulation investigation

Experimentally observed excellent cold cathode emission characteristics of chemically synthesized CuPc nanotubes and theoretical justifications via finite element method simulation.

Facile synthesis of Bi2S3 hierarchical nanostructure with enhanced photocatalytic activity

A simple wet chemistry method was employed for the synthesis of Bi2S3 hierarchical nanostructure using thioglycolic acid as a capping agent under reflux condition. The obtained products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope images (HR-TEMs), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and nitrogen sorption measurement. FE-SEM and TEM observations displayed that Bi2S3 hierarchical nanostructure assembled from nanorods of about 100 nm in length and 5-10 nm in diameter was successfully obtained. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange under UV irradiation. The results indicated that Bi2S3 hierarchical nanostructure exhibited superior photocatalytic performance to pure Bi2S3, which can be ascribed to large specific surface area, hierarchical nanostructure, and high hydrophilicity.

Nanostructured metallophthalocyanine complexes: synthesis and electrocatalysis

In this review, we have attempted to summarize the synthesis and catalytic applications of the nanophthalocyanine complexes. In cases where possible, we have compared the catalytic activity of the nanophthalocyanines to the bulk material. Catalytic detection of dopamine, epinephrine, glucose and some pollutants using nanostructured metallophthalocyanine have been covered.

Highly efficient decomposition of organic dye by aqueous-solid phase transfer and in situ photocatalysis using hierarchical copper phthalocyanine hollow spheres

The hierarchical tetranitro copper phthalocyanine (TNCuPc) hollow spheres were fabricated by a simple solvothermal method. The formation mechanism was proposed based on the evolution of morphology as a function of solvothermal time, which involved the initial formation of nanoparticles followed by their self-aggregation to microspheres and transformation into hierarchical hollow spheres by Ostwald ripening. Furthermore, the hierarchical TNCuPc hollow spheres exhibited high adsorption capacity and excellent simultaneously visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance for Rhodamine B (RB) under visible light. A possible mechanism for the "aqueous-solid phase transfer and in situ photocatalysis" was suggested. Repetitive tests showed that the hierarchical TNCuPc hollow spheres maintained high catalytic activity over several cycles, and it had a better regeneration capability under mild conditions.