Facile synthesis of porous Bi2WO6 nanosheets with high photocatalytic performance

Engineered 2D Metal Oxides for Photocatalysis as Environmental Remediation: A Theoretical Perspective

Modern-day society requires advanced technologies based on renewable and sustainable energy resources to meet environmental remediation challenges. Solar-inspired photocatalytic applications such as water splitting, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) are unique solutions based on green and efficient technologies. Considering the special electronic features and larger surface area, two-dimensional (2D) materials, especially metal oxides (MOs), have been broadly explored for the abovementioned applications in the past few years. However, their photocatalytic potential has not been optimized yet to the level required for practical and commercial applications. Among many strategies available, defect engineering, including cation and anion vacancy creations, can potentially boost the photocatalytic performance of 2D MOs. This mini-review covers recent advancements in 2D engineered materials for various photocatalysis applications such as H2O2 oxidation, HER, and CO2RR for environmental remediation from theoretical perspectives. By thoroughly addressing the fundamental aspects, recent developments, and associated challenges—the author’s recommendations in compliance with future challenges and prospects will pave the way for readers.

Electrochemical performance of transition metal based CoB2O4 (B = Co and Fe) oxides as an electrode material for energy storage devices

A high capacitance of 1039 F g−1 for Co3O4 as compared to 527 F g−1 for CoFe2O4 along with a capacity retention of 86% for up to GCD 5000 cycles, confirm it's potential to be used as an electrode for practical energy storage devices.

Recent Progress, Challenges, and Prospects in Two-Dimensional Photo-Catalyst Materials and Environmental Remediation

The successful photo-catalyst library gives significant information on feature that affects photo-catalytic performance and proposes new materials. Competency is considerably significant to form multi-functional photo-catalysts with flexible characteristics. Since recently, two-dimensional materials (2DMs) gained much attention from researchers, due to their unique thickness-dependent uses, mainly for photo-catalytic, outstanding chemical and physical properties. Photo-catalytic water splitting and hydrogen (H2) evolution by plentiful compounds as electron (e-) donors is estimated to participate in constructing clean method for solar H2-formation. Heterogeneous photo-catalysis received much research attention caused by their applications to tackle numerous energy and environmental issues. This broad review explains progress regarding 2DMs, significance in structure, and catalytic results. We will discuss in detail current progresses of approaches for adjusting 2DMs-based photo-catalysts to assess their photo-activity including doping, hetero-structure scheme, and functional formation assembly. Suggested plans, e.g., doping and sensitization of semiconducting 2DMs, increasing electrical conductance, improving catalytic active sites, strengthening interface coupling in semiconductors (SCs) 2DMs, forming nano-structures, building multi-junction nano-composites, increasing photo-stability of SCs, and using combined results of adapted approaches, are summed up. Hence, to further improve 2DMs photo-catalyst properties, hetero-structure design-based 2DMs' photo-catalyst basic mechanism is also reviewed.

A PW12/Bi2WO6 composite photocatalyst for enhanced visible light photocatalytic degradation of organic dye pollutants

Bi₂WO₆ and polyoxometalate nanocomposites exhibited superior photocatalytic performance for degradation of organic dye rhodamine B under visible light.

Effects of the preparation method of Pt/g-C3N4 photocatalysts on their efficiency for visible-light hydrogen production

Pt NPs have been loaded on ultrathin porous g-C₃N₄ nanosheets (CNS) by either a chemical reduction (CR) or a photoreduction (PR) method. The Pt/CNS-CR photocatalyst shows a much higher efficiency for H₂ evolution than that of the Pt/CNS-PR.

Structure of flower-like hierarchical CdS QDs/Bi/Bi2WO6 heterojunction with enhanced photocatalytic activity

A CdS QDs/Bi/Bi₂WO₆ heterojunction was synthesized via a facile stepwise in situ reduction and deposition process.

3D Hierarchical heterostructures of Bi2W1−xMoxO6 with enhanced oxygen evolution reaction from water under natural sunlight

Self-assembled 3D hierarchical Bi₂W_1−xMo_xO₆ heterostructures with varying x (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 or 1.0) with different morphologies were synthesised via a facile one-pot solvothermal method and their photocatalytic activity towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) from water under natural sunlight was tested.

Controllable synthesis of perovskite-like PbBiO2Cl hollow microspheres with enhanced photocatalytic activity for antibiotic removal

Novel perovskite-like PbBiO₂Cl materials with hollow and porous sphere-like structures were successfully synthesized using a polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chlorine ([C₁₆mim]Cl) complex system.

Recent advances in 2D materials for photocatalysis

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted increasing attention for photocatalytic applications because of their unique thickness dependent physical and chemical properties. This review gives a brief overview of the recent developments concerning the chemical synthesis and structural design of 2D materials at the nanoscale and their applications in photocatalytic areas. In particular, recent progress on the emerging strategies for tailoring 2D material-based photocatalysts to improve their photo-activity including elemental doping, heterostructure design and functional architecture assembly is discussed.

Amorphous Ti(iv)-modified Bi2WO6 with enhanced photocatalytic performance

Amorphous TiO₂ can function as an excellent hole cocatalyst to greatly improve the photocatalytic performance of a Bi₂WO₆ photocatalyst.

Insight into the origin of photoreactivity of various well-defined Bi2WO6 crystals: exposed heterojunction-like surface and oxygen defects

Three kinds of Bi₂WO₆ with well-defined morphology were prepared. The nanosheet with exposed (020) facets was obtained. The origin of photoreactivity of Bi₂WO₆ photocatalysis was studied.

Shape-selective synthesis of Bi2WO6 hierarchical structures and their morphology-dependent photocatalytic activities

Various morphologies of Bi₂WO₆ were synthesized using l-lysine as surfactant and the possible formation mechanisms were proposed.

Introduction of CoCl2·6H2O into Co3O4 for enhancement of hydroxyl radicals and effective charge separation

CoCl₂·6H₂O is introduced into Co₃O₄ for the in situ enhancement of hydroxyl radicals and the construction of heterojunctions.

Facile synthesis of BiOI/CdWO4 p–n junctions: enhanced photocatalytic activities and photoelectrochemistry

In this work, a series of novel BiOI/CdWO₄ p–n junction photocatalysts were successfully fabricated via a facile ultrasonic and stirring process.

One-pot preparation of Bi/Bi2WO6/reduced graphene oxide as a plasmonic photocatalyst with improved activity under visible light

The Bi/Bi₂WO₆/rGO nanocomposite for simultaneous RhB adsorption and photocatalysis was synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal method.