BiOX (X=Cl, Br, I) nanostructures: Mannitol-mediated microwave synthesis, visible light photocatalytic performance, and Cr(VI) removal capacity

A signal "switch-on" photoelectrochemical sensor based on a 3D-FM/BiOI heterostructure for the sensitive detection of l-ascorbic acid

A highly efficient 3D flower MoS2 (3D-FM)-based heterostructure photocatalyst (3D-FM/BiOI) was successfully obtained via a simple hydrothermal synthesis strategy. 3D-FM/BiOI showed prominent photoelectrochemical performance, distinguished stability and good selectivity. The introduction of 3D-FM, by promoting the photoelectric property attributed to it, facilitated the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Since the redox process of l-ascorbic acid (l-AA) resulted in an increasing photocurrent of 3D-FM/BiOI, a signal "switch-on" photoelectrochemical sensor (PECS) was designed to sensitively determine l-AA for the first time. Under optimized conditions, the 3D-FM/BiOI PECS worked over a wide range from 1 μM to 0.8 mM with a low detection limit of 0.05 μM (S/N = 3). The PECS was successfully exploited for l-AA sensing in human urine with excellent accuracy and applicability, demonstrating its practical precision and superb serviceability. Furthermore, the 3D-FM/BiOI PECS exhibited satisfactory selectivity and stability, providing a great potential platform for the construction of an l-AA sensor in various practical samples and complicated environments.

Recent advances in bismuth oxyhalides photocatalysts and their applications

Bismuth oxyhalides photocatalysts exhibit great potential to solve the energy and environmental issues under visible light due to their unique physicochemical and optical properties. However, the photocatalytic activity of pristine bismuth oxyhalides remains unsatisfactory because of their inherent drawbacks. Up to now, many strategies have been used to improve the photocatalytic performance. In this review, the basic mechanism, unique properties and structure of bismuth oxyhalides photocatalysts have been introduced, and the common techniques of synthesis, modification, and main applications have been discussed. Finally, new insights are proposed to meet the future challenges and development of the photocatalysts, which can provide better knowledge for the advancement of the related research areas.

One-Step Coprecipitation Synthesis of BiOClxBr1-x Photocatalysts Decorated with CQDs at Room Temperature with Enhanced Visible-Light Response

BiOCl_xBr_1-x (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) solid solutions were synthesized at room temperature by one-step coprecipitation. Relative proportions of halogens in the anion layer were regulated, and thus, the band gap of BiOCl_xBr_1-x could be adjusted to suitable values to enhance the photocatalytic reaction. BiOCl_xBr_1-x exhibited enhanced visible-light response and higher photocatalytic activity in degrading rhodamine B (RhB) compared with individual BiOCl or BiOBr. Especially, BiOCl_0.5Br_0.5 showed the highest photocatalytic activity. Comparative tests showed that within 36 min the degradation rates of RhB upon BiOBr, BiOCl, and BiOCl_0.5Br_0.5 were 55.66, 24.03, and 94.91%, respectively. BiOCl_0.5Br_0.5 was further decorated with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) to promote the separation of photogenerated charge carriers. The photocatalytic activity was considerably enhanced by moderate doping of CQDs, and the degradation rate of RhB reached nearly 100% within 18 min upon 3CQDs-BiOCl_0.5Br_0.5 (the loading content of CQDs was 0.42 wt %). Active-species-trapping tests confirmed that h⁺ is the primary active species for photocatalytic degradation of RhB, whereas ^•O₂^- and e^- were the secondary ones. The synergistic effects of the band structure adjustment and CQD decoration on the photocatalytic activity were mainly expounded as the enhanced separation of photogenerated charge carriers and optimal redox potentials. In addition, the reuse and service life of the catalysts were analyzed. After five cycles, the photocatalytic activity still remained over 95%.

Removal of Hexavalent Chromium(VI) from Wastewater Using Chitosan-Coated Iron Oxide Nanocomposite Membranes

Chromium is a toxic and carcinogenic heavy metal that originates from various human activities. Therefore, the effective removal of chromium from aqueous solutions is an extremely important global challenge. Herein, we report a chitosan-coated iron oxide nanoparticle immobilized hydrophilic poly(vinylidene) fluoride membrane (Chi@Fe₂O₃–PVDF) which can potentially be used for efficient removal of hexavalent chromium(VI) by a simple filtration process. Membrane filtration is an easy and efficient method for treating large volumes of water in a short duration. The adsorption experiments were conducted by batch and continuous in-flow systems. The experimental data showed rapid capture of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) which can be explained by the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm model. The nanocomposite membrane exhibited high adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) (14.451 mg/g in batch system, 14.104 mg/g in continuous in-flow system). Moreover, its removal efficiency was not changed significantly in the presence of several competing ions, i.e., Cl⁻, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, and PO₄³⁻. Consequently, the Chi@Fe₂O₃-PVDF-based filtration process is expected to show a promising direction and be developed as a practical method for wastewater treatment.

Facile synthesis of flower-like hierarchical N-doped Nb2O5/C nanostructures with efficient photocatalytic activity under visible light

Significant endeavors have been devoted in the past few years to establish efficient visible light-activated photocatalysts. Herein, we successfully synthesized a flower-like hierarchical nitrogen-doped and carbon-sensitized Nb₂O₅ (NBO) nanostructure (denoted N-NBO/C). The as-prepared N-NBO/C possessed a specific surface area of 260.37 m² g⁻¹ and single wire diameter of less than 10 nm. The effect of reaction parameters such as hydrothermal reaction time, temperature and concentration of hexamethylenetetramine (Hmta) on the morphology of NBO was systematically investigated to elucidate the growth mechanism. The carbon on the surface and the nitrogen in the framework of NBO are beneficial for light harvesting, visible light absorption, formation of oxygen vacancies, and electron–hole separation. The photocatalytic performance of the as-fabricated N-NBO/C nanostructures was estimated via the photodegradation of 30 mg L⁻¹ RhB, where greater than 98% of RhB was decomposed within 30 min upon visible-light radiation. Hence, the obtained N-NBO/C nanostructure exhibits much higher photocatalytic activity for the decomposition of RhB upon visible light irradiation than that of pure niobium oxide (NBO), nitrogen-doped titanium oxide (N-TIO), and nitrogen-doped niobium oxide (N-NBO). This work supplies a versatile route for the synthesis of nitrogen-doped and carbon-sensitized metal-oxide nanostructures for possible utilization in solar energy transformation and environmental remediation.

Flower-like hierarchical N-doped Nb₂O₅/C nanostructures with efficient visible light-driven photocatalytic activity synthesized via a facile hexamethylenetetramine-assisted hydrothermal route.

Surface-modified spherical lignin particles with superior Cr(VI) removal efficiency

Lignin, natural aromatic polymer derived from plant dry matter, is second abundant biopolymer. Recently, interest in applications of lignin, especially as an adsorbent material is increasing. However, the physicochemical complexity of lignin significantly reduces access to practical environmental remediation processes. Also, there is a limitation because the adsorption performance of the pristine lignin materials is not superior to that of commercial adsorbent and ion exchange resin material. In this study, spherical lignin particles with high physicochemical stability and excellent Cr(VI) adsorption capacity are prepared using a polyethylenimine (PEI) modification strategy. This modification process significantly improves the mechanical properties and water stability of lignin by complementing the instability of lignin particles. In addition, the PEI-lignin particles exhibit a superior Cr(VI) removal capability (657.9 mg/g, the highest value for a PEI-modified natural adsorbent), which is attributed to their structural stability and introduced amine functional groups. The Cr(VI) removal with PEI-lignin particles is performed via intra-particle diffusion and adsorption followed by covalent bonding combined with a reduction process. Moreover, the PEI-lignin particles exhibit excellent reusability, which sustains their high adsorption efficiency over a long and repeated adsorption period. The results herein strongly support the potential use of PEI-lignin particles as a high performance bio-sorption material for heavy metal removal and its detoxification in aqueous wastewater streams. Evidently, this lignin-based bio-sorbent manufacturing system can provide sustainable bio-resource recycling and cost efficiency.

Recyclable functionalized polymer films for the efficient removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solutions

In this study, polyethylenimine-functionalized poly(vinyl alcohol) (PEI-PVA) films were prepared for the first time to remove aqueous Cr(vi). The results indicate that our PEI-PVA films have an excellent potential for Cr(vi) removal and their maximum removal capacity was 396.83 mg g-1. The optimized pH value was 2, the adsorption of Cr(vi) was fitted to the Langmuir model, and the kinetics of uptake could be described well by a pseudo-second-order rate model. Taking into account the simplified separation method of adsorbents and solutions, we used a PVA film as a carrier in which PEI-PVA microspheres were filled to obtain a PEI-PVA functionalized film (PPF). The PPF shows a great efficiency in the removal of Cr(vi) ions in solution, which can absorb and reduce the Cr(vi) ion concentration in the solution in 90 min. PPF has excellent selectivity and the removal efficiency of Cr(vi) ions in the presence of co-existing ions is not reduced. It also has good recycling properties; the removal efficiency remains at 77% over four cycles. The removal mechanism of Cr(vi) ions by PEI-PVA microspheres involves the reduction of the adsorbed Cr(vi) ions to Cr(iii) ions, which are less toxic.

Synergistic Effect of Hydrochloric Acid and Phytic Acid Doping on Polyaniline-Coupled g-C3N4 Nanosheets for Photocatalytic Cr(VI) Reduction and Dye Degradation

In this study, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) nanosheets (CNns) were modified using polyaniline (PANI) codoped with an inorganic (hydrochloric acid, HCl) and an organic (phytic acid, PA) acid. Our results revealed that these samples exhibited extended visible-light absorption and a three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical structure with a large specific surface area. They also inhibited photoluminescence emission, reduced electrical resistance, and provided abundant free radicals, resulting in high photocatalytic performance. The PANI/g-C₃N₄ sample demonstrated outstanding photocatalytic activity of a Cr(VI) removal capacity of 4.76 mg·min^-1·g_c^-1, which is the best record for the reduction of a 100 ppm K₂Cr₂O₇ solution. Moreover, g-C₃N₄ coupled with PANI monotonically doped with HCl or PA did not demonstrate increased activity, suggesting that the codoping of HCl and PA plays a significant role in enhancing the performance. The improved photocatalytic activity of PANI/g-C₃N₄ can be attributed to the interchain and intrachain doping of PA and HCl over PANI, respectively, to create a 3D connected network and synergistically increase the electrical conductivity. Therefore, new insights into g-C₃N₄ coupled with PANI and codoped by HCl and PA may have excellent potential for the design of g-C₃N₄-based compounds for efficient photocatalytic reactions.

Application of BiOX Photocatalysts in Remediation of Persistent Organic Pollutants

Bismuth oxyhalides have recently gained attention for their promise as photocatalysts. Due to their layered structure, these materials present fascinating and highly desirable physicochemical properties including visible light photocatalytic capability and improved charge separation. While bismuth oxyhalides have been rigorously evaluated for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes and many synthesis strategies have been employed to enhance this property, relatively little work has been done to test them against pharmaceuticals and pesticides. These persistent organic pollutants are identified as emerging concerns by the EPA and effective strategies must be developed to combat them. Here, we review recent work directed at characterizing the nature of the interactions between bismuth oxyhalides and persistent organic pollutants using techniques including LC-MS/MS for the determination of photocatalytic degradation intermediates and radical scavenging to determine active species during photocatalytic degradation. The reported investigations indicate that the high activity of bismuth oxyhalides for the breakdown of persistent organic pollutants from water can be largely attributed to the strong oxidizing power of electron holes in the valence band. Unlike conventional catalysts like TiO2, these catalysts can also function in ambient solar conditions. This suggests a much wider potential use for these materials as green catalysts for industrial photocatalytic transformation, particularly in flow chemistry applications.

BiOX (X = Cl, Br, I) photocatalytic nanomaterials: Applications for fuels and environmental management

Energy and environmental issues are the major concerns in our contemporary "risk society". As a green technique, photocatalysis has been identified as a promising solution for above-mentioned problems. In recent decade, BiOX (X = Cl, Br, I) photocatalytic nanomaterials have sparked numerous interest as economical and efficient photocatalysts for energy conversion and environmental management. The distinctive physicochemical properties of BiOX nanomaterials, especially their energy band structures and levels as well as relaxed layered nanostructures, should be responsible for the visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance improvement, which could be utilized in dealing with the global energy and environmental challenges. In this review, recent advances for the enhancement of BiOX photocatalytic activity are detailedly summarized. Furthermore, the applications of BiOX photocatalysts in water splitting and refractory organic pollutants removal are highlighted to offer guidelines for better development in photocatalysis. Particularly, no relative reports in previous studies were documented in CO₂ reduction as well as heavy metals and air pollutants removal, thus this review presented as a considerable research value. Challenges in the construction of high-performance BiOX-based photocatalytic systems are also discussed. With the exponential growth of studies on BiOX photocatalytic nanomaterials, this review provides unique and comprehensive perspectives to design BiOX-based photocatalytic systems with superior visible light photocatalytic activity. The knowledge of both the merits and demerits of BiOX photocatalysts are updated and provided as a reference.

Defect state of indium-doped bismuth molybdate nanosheets for enhanced photoreduction of chromium(vi) under visible light illumination

The construction of defect states is an effective method for regulating the energy band structure of photocatalytic semiconductor materials.

Modulation of valence band maximum edge and photocatalytic activity of BiOX by incorporation of halides

To better know the photocatalytic performance of bismuth oxyhalides (BiOX, X = Cl, Br, I) regulated by incorporation of halides within nanostructures, BiOX nanosheets were synthesized through morphology controllable solvothermal method and characterized systematically. The organic structural property greatly influences the photocatalytic activity of BiOX: 1) as for neutral molecular phenol, BiOX shows photocatalytic activity in the order of BiOCl > BiOBr > BiOI under simulated sun light irradiation, and the photo-oxidation kinetics follow Eley-Rideal mechanism; and 2) for adsorbed anionic orange II (OII) and cationic methylene blue (MB), BiOX shows photocatalytic activity in the order of BiOCl > BiOBr > BiOI, and the photo-oxidation kinetics follow Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. The crystal structure of the catalyst also greatly influences the photocatalytic activity of BiOX: 1) The relative photo-oxidation power of O₂^•- radicals or HO radicals involved in this study were different which were quantitatively detected using typical radical trapping agent, separately; 2) The relative oxidation power of photogenerated holes (h⁺) in this study were in the order of BiOCl > BiOBr > BiOI, which may be ascribed to lowering the valence band maximum edge of BiOX through incorporation of halides as the atomic number of halides decreased. This study provides novel explanation for fabricating BiOX heterojunctions with tunable photocatalytic reactivity via regulating the halides ratio.

Metal free MoS2 2D sheets as a peroxidase enzyme and visible-light-induced photocatalyst towards detection and reduction of Cr(vi) ions

Two-dimensional molybdenum disulphide (MoS₂) sheets were prepared by using a simple thermal decomposition method.

A microwave synthesized mesoporous carbon sponge as an efficient adsorbent for Cr(vi) removal

Mesoporous carbon materials have recently attracted immense research interest because of their potential application in water purification fields. Herein, we report the synthesis of a mesoporous carbon sponge (MCS) from a supramolecular microcrystalline cellulose–polymer system triggered by microwave-assisted treatment. Benefiting from the three-dimensional (3D) interconnected mesopores and an evenly distributed ball-like protuberance on the inner surfaces of the macropores, the MCS exhibited a high adsorption capacity (93.96 mg g⁻¹) for fast Cr(vi) removal within 5 min. Additionally, the MCS can be regenerated and reused after the adsorption–desorption process, and maintained an adsorption capacity of ∼86% after 10 cycles. The high adsorption capacity, significantly reduced treatment time, and reusability make the MCS promising for the purification of wastewater on a large scale.

Mesoporous carbon sponge (MCS) is successfully prepared from a supramolecular microcrystalline cellulose–polymer system triggered by microwave-assisted treatment. The MCS exhibits high adsorption capacity for fast Cr(vi) removal within 5 min.

Synthesis and application of a ternary composite of clay, saw-dust and peanut husks in heavy metal adsorption

The adsorption of a multi-component system of ferrous, chromium, copper, nickel and lead on single, binary and ternary composites was studied. The aim of the study was to investigate whether a ternary composite of clay, peanut husks (PH) and saw-dust (SD) exhibited a higher adsorption capacity than that of a binary system of clay and SD as well as a single component adsorbent of PH alone. The materials were used in their raw state without any chemical modifications. This was done to retain the cost effective aspect of the naturally occurring adsorbents. The adsorption capacities of the ternary composite for the heavy metals Fe²⁺, Cr³⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Pb²⁺ were 41.7 mg/g, 40.0 mg/g, 25.5 mg/g, 41.5 mg/g and 39.0 mg/g, respectively. It was found that the ternary composite exhibited excellent and enhanced adsorption capacity compared with both a binary and single adsorbent for the heavy metals Fe²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Cr³⁺. Characterization of the ternary composites was done using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Kinetic models and adsorption isotherms were also studied. The pseudo second order kinetic model and the Langmuir adsorption isotherm best described the adsorption mechanisms for the ternary composite towards each of the heavy metal ions.

Titania nanotube stabilized BiOCl nanoparticles in visible-light photocatalysis

Photocatalysis is a green approach in environmental organic pollutant decomposition.

Enhanced removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions using polypyrrole wrapped oxidized MWCNTs nanocomposites adsorbent

Polypyrrole wrapped oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes nanocomposites (PPy/OMWCNTs NCs) were prepared via in situ chemical polymerization of pyrrole (Py) monomer in the presence of OMWCNTs using FeCl3 as oxidant for the effective removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)]. The as-prepared PPy/OMWCNTs NCs were characterized by FE-SEM, HR-TEM, ATR-FTIR, XRD, XPS and BET method. Characterization results suggested that PPy was uniformly covered on the OMWCNTs surface and resulted in enhanced specific surface area. Adsorption experiments were carried out in batch sorption mode to investigate the effect of pH, dose of adsorbent, contact time, concentration of Cr(VI) and temperature. The adsorption of Cr(VI) on the nanocomposite surface was highly pH dependent and the kinetics of the adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption isotherm data were in good conformity with the Langmuir isothermal model. The maximum adsorption capacity of the PPy/OMWCNTs NCs for Cr(VI) was 294mg/g at 25°C. The calculated values of the thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG(0) (-0.237kJ/mol), ΔH(0) (13.237kJ/mol) and ΔS(0) (0.0452kJ/mol/K) revealed that the adsorption process is spontaneous, endothermic and marked with an increase in randomness at the solid-liquid interface. The presence of co-existing ions slightly affected the Cr(VI) removal efficiency of the PPy/OMWCNTs.

Preparation of Uniform BiOI Nanoflowers with Visible Light-Induced Photocatalytic Activity

Novel 3D flower-like bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) nanomaterials were obtained via a facile solvothermal method using bismuth nitrate (Bi(NO3)3) and potassium iodide (KI) as precursors and diethylene glycol as the capping reagent. The morphology of the BiOI nanoarchitecture strongly depends on the experimental conditions such as the presence of diethylene glycol and hydrothermal time. The photocatalytic property of the BiOI nanostructures by monitoring the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO) mixed dyes was studied under visible light illumination, which has not been reported previously. The degradation of single cationic RhB dye is faster when compared with that of anionic MO dye. This result is due to the surface negative charges on the BiOI nanoflowers that display good selectivity towards positive RhB dye organic groups owing to electrostatic attraction.

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of porous bismuth oxychloride hexagonal prisms

Porous BiOCl hexagonal prisms have been successfully prepared through a simple solvothermal route.

BiOX/BiOY (X, Y = F, Cl, Br, I) superlattices for visible light photocatalysis applications

BiOF/BiOI, BiOCl/BiOBr, BiOCl/BiOI, and BiOBr/BiOI superlattices are suitable for visible light photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants.

Investigation of the effect of reaction parameters on the microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of hierarchical jasmine-flower-like ZnO nanostructures for dye-sensitized solar cells

The influence of the microwave-hydrothermal reaction parameters upon the photovoltaic performance of fabricated jasmine-flower-like ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells was investigated.

Rhodamine B-sensitized BiOCl hierarchical nanostructure for methyl orange photodegradation

RhB-sensitized BiOCl hierarchical nanostructures were utilized for visible light MO degradation. The electrons transfer from RhB LUMO orbit to CB of BiOCl facilitates superoxide radical generation, resulting in improved MO degradation efficiency.