Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of N-K2Ti4O9/UiO-66 composites

Abstract

N-K₂Ti₄O₉/UiO-66 composites synthesized by a facile solvothermal method possess a hierarchical core–shell structure with UiO-66 forming the shell around the N-K₂Ti₄O₉ core. Photocatalytic activity of N-K₂Ti₄O₉, UiO-66 and the composites were investigated by the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. The synergistic effect induced by compounding was quantitatively evaluated by the proposed synergistic factor. The results show that N-K₂Ti₄O₉/UiO-66 composites exhibit higher photocatalytic activity as compared with the pure materials, and this is due to the high adsorption capacity of UiO-66 and the compounding induced higher separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. In particular, when the molar ratio of N-K₂Ti₄O₉ to ZrCl₄ is 3 : 7, the composite exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity, and the synergistic factor is 4.90.