scholarly journals Oxide-Clay Mineral as Photoactive Material for Dye Discoloration

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Maicon O. Miranda ◽  
Bartolomeu Cruz Viana ◽  
Luzia Maria Honório ◽  
Pollyana Trigueiro ◽  
Maria Gardênnia Fonseca ◽  
...  

Titanium and zirconium oxides (TiO2 and ZrO2, respectively) were obtained from alkoxides hydrolyses, and then deposited into palygorskite clay mineral (Pal) to obtain new materials for photocatalytic applications. The obtained materials were characterized by structural, morphological, and textural techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed the characteristic peaks of oxides and clay transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the modified palygorskite with both oxides showed that the clay was successfully modified by the proposed method. The increase in the specific surface area of the clay occurred when TiO2 and ZrO2 were deposited on the surface. The photocatalytic activity of these materials was investigated using the Remazol Blue anion dye under UV light. The evaluated systems presented high photocatalytic activity, reaching approximately 98% of dye discoloration under light. Thus, TiO2–Pal and ZrO2–TiO2–Pal are promising clay mineral-based photocatalysts.

2011 ◽  
Vol 335-336 ◽  
pp. 460-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Mei Wang ◽  
Da Peng Zhou ◽  
Yuan Lian ◽  
Ming Pang ◽  
Dan Liu

Hexagonal flower-like CdS nanostructures were successfully synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method with thiourea as sulfur source. By combining the results of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the structural and morphological characterizations of the products were performed. The photocatalytic activity of CdS nanostructures had been tested by degradation of Rhodamine B (RB) under UV light compared to commercial CdS powders, which indicated that the as-syntherized CdS nanostructures exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for degradation of RB. The possible growth mechanism of CdS nanostructures was proposed in the end.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanhu Liu ◽  
Baoshun Liu ◽  
Kazuya Nakata ◽  
Tsuyoshi Ochiai ◽  
Taketoshi Murakami ◽  
...  

Porous TiO2nanofibers were prepared via a facile electrospinning method. The carbon nanospheres were mixed with the ethanol solution containing both poly(vinylpyrrolidone) and titanium tetraisopropoxide for electrospinning; and subsequent calcination of as-spun nanofibers led to thermal decomposition of carbon nanospheres, leaving behind pores in the TiO2nanofibers. The morphology and phase structure of the products were investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of porous TiO2nanofibers was evaluated by photodecomposition of methylene blue under UV light. Results showed that the porous TiO2nanofibers have higher surface area and enhanced photocatalysis activity, compared to nonporous TiO2nanofibers.


NANO ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1650114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Li ◽  
Jianwei Li ◽  
Caiqin Han ◽  
Xinsheng Zhao ◽  
Haipeng Chu ◽  
...  

Few-layered MoS2 nanostructures were successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method without the addition of any catalysts or surfactants. Their morphology, structure and photocatalytic activity were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectra and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, respectively. These results show that the MoS2 nanostructures synthesized at 180[Formula: see text]C exhibit an optimal visible light photocatalytic activity (99%) in the degradation of Rhodamine B owing to the relatively easier adsorption of pollutants, higher visible light absorption and lower electron–hole pair recombination.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 1078-1091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sibel Erol Dağ ◽  
Pınar Acar Bozkurt ◽  
Fatma Eroğlu ◽  
Meltem Çelik

A series of polystyrene (PS)/unmodified Na-montmorillonite (Na-MMT) composites were prepared via in situ radical polymerization. The prepared composites were characterized using various techniques. The presence of various functional groups in the unmodified Na-MMT and PS/unmodified Na-MMT composite was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Morphology and particle size of prepared composites was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). According to the XRD and TEM results, the interlayer spacing of MMT layers was expanded. SEM images showed a spongy and porous-shaped morphology of composites. TEM revealed the Na-MMT intercalated in PS matrix. The thermal stability of PS/unmodified Na-MMT composites was significantly improved as compared to PS, which is confirmed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TGA curves indicated that the decomposition temperature of composites is higher at 24–51°C depending on the composition of the mixture than that of pure PS. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed that the glass transition temperature of composites was higher as compared to PS. The moisture retention, water uptake, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller specific surface area, and specific pore volume of composites were also investigated. Water resistance of the composites can be greatly improved.


Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kollur Shiva Prasad ◽  
Shashanka K. Prasad ◽  
Mohammad Azam Ansari ◽  
Mohammad A. Alzohairy ◽  
Mohammad N. Alomary ◽  
...  

In this work, we aimed to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using an aqueous extract of Cassia auriculata leaves (CAE) at room temperature without the provision of additional surfactants or capping agents. The formation of as-obtained ZnONPs was analyzed by UV–visible (ultraviolet) absorption and emission spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The XRD results reflect the wurtzite structure of as-prepared ZnONPs, which produced diffraction patterns showing hexagonal phases. The SEM images indicate that the morphology of as-prepared ZnONPs is composed of hexagonal nanostructures with an average diameter of 20 nm. The HR-TEM result shows that the inter-planar distance between two lattice fringes is 0.260 nm, which coincides with the distance between the adjacent (d-spacing) of the (002) lattice plane of ZnO. The fluorescence emission spectrum of ZnONPs dispersed in ethanol shows an emission maximum at 569 nm, revealing the semiconductor nature of ZnO. As-obtained ZnONPs enhanced the tumoricidal property of CAE in MCF-7 breast cancer cells without significant inhibition of normal human breast cells, MCF-12A. Furthermore, we have studied the antibacterial effects of ZnONPs, which showed direct cell surface contact, resulting in the disturbance of bacterial cell integrity.


2013 ◽  
Vol 634-638 ◽  
pp. 2475-2480
Author(s):  
Ai Min Tang ◽  
Ting Ting Hu ◽  
Xia Su

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)/cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanocomposites were prepared by using ultrasound wave irradiation. The as-prepared samples were characterized using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The photocatalytic behavior of MCC/CdS nanocomposites was evaluated using the degradation of a methyl orange (MeO) aqueous solution under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. Results showed that CdS nanoparticles were evenly distributed on the surface of MCC with little aggregation; the amount of Cd attached to the MCC was 23.75 % (w/w, Cd/composites). The MeO degradation rate was much higher when the MCC/CdS nanocomposites were irradiated with UV light than when CdS powder alone was irradiated. In dark conditions, the MCC/CdS nanocomposites showed almost no photocatalytic activity. In addition, the amount of MCC/CdS nanocomposites added to MeO solution and the initial pH of the MeO solution were also important factors influencing the photocatalytic activity. The results show that MCC/CdS nanocomposites are promising materials with excellent performance in photocatalytic applications.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Li ◽  
Hui Qiao ◽  
Yuanzhi Du ◽  
Chen Chen ◽  
Xiaolin Li ◽  
...  

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofibers in the anatase structure were successfully prepared via electrospinning technique followed by calcination process. The morphologies, crystal structure, surface area, and the photocatalytic activity of resulting TiO2nanofibers were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen sorption, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The results revealed that calcination temperature had greatly influenced the morphologies of TiO2nanofibers, but no obvious effect was noticed on the crystal structure of TiO2nanofibers. The photocatalytic properties of TiO2nanofibers were evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) in water under visible light irradiation. It was observed that TiO2nanofibers obtained by calcination at 500°C for 3 hours exhibited the most excellent photocatalytic activity. We present a novel and simple method to fabricate TiO2nanofibers with high-photocatalytic activity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 2264-2270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Shao ◽  
Weiyue Xin ◽  
Xiaohong Yin

ZnO quantum dots and KNb3O8 nanosheets were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to methanol where isopropanol is simultaneously oxidized to acetone . The as-prepared photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy (UV–vis). The photocatalytic activity of the materials was evaluated by formation rate of methanol under UV light irradiation at ambient temperature and pressure. The methanol formation rate of pure KNb3O8 nanosheets was found to be 1257.21 μmol/g/h, and after deposition of 2 wt % ZnO quantum dots on the surface of KNb3O8 nanosheets, the methanol production rate was found to increase to 1539.77 μmol/g/h. Thus, the ZnO quantum dots obviously prompted separation of charge carriers, which was explained by a proposed mechanism for this photocatalytic reaction.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 602-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenling Wang ◽  
Guangzhi Li ◽  
Zewei Quan ◽  
Deyan Kong ◽  
Xiaoming Liu ◽  
...  

Nano-submicrostructured CaWO4, CaWO4 : Pb2+ and CaWO4 : Pb3+ particles were prepared by polyol method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), photoluminescence (PL), cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra and PL lifetimes. The results of XRD indicate that the as-prepared samples are well crystallized with the scheelite structure of CaWO4. The FE-SEM images illustrate that CaWO4 and CaWO4 : Pb2+ and CaWO4 : Tb3+ powders are composed of spherical particles with sizes around 260, 290, and 190 nm respectively, which are the aggregates of smaller nanoparticles around 10–20 nm. Under the UV light or electron beam excitation, the CaWO4 powders exhibits a blue emission band with a maximum at about 440 nm. When the CaWO4 particles are doped with Pb2+, the intensity of luminescence is enhanced to some extent and the luminescence band maximum is red shifted to 460 nm. Tb3+-doped CaWO4 particles show the characteristic emission of Tb3+ 5D4–7FJ (J = 6 – 3) transitions due to an energy transfer from WO42− groups to Pb3+.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pham Van Viet ◽  
Cao Minh Thi ◽  
Le Van Hieu

Tin oxide nanoparticles (SnO2NPs) were prepared at low temperature by hydrothermal method. Synthesized SnO2NPs were confirmedviacharacterization techniques such as UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The synthesized nanoparticles were in the size of 3 nm and they have high photocatalytic activity. The result showed that SnO2NPs degraded 88.88% MB solution after 30 minutes of UV illumination and reached 90.0% for 120 minutes (2 hours) of UV illumination. Moreover, they degraded 79.26% MB solution after 90 minutes (1.5 hours) under assisted sunlight illumination.


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