Issue 3, 2022

Caterpillar-like Ag–ZnO–C hollow nanocomposites for efficient solar photocatalytic degradation and disinfection

Abstract

Engineering a highly accessible semiconductor with optimized physicochemical structure for efficient photocatalysis under visible light is never-ending. Herein, a facile route was developed to fabricate a caterpillar-like ZnO–C (ZC) hollow nanocomposite by directly pyrolyzing Zn-BTC MOF microrods and nanorods, which have been previously synthesized via a rapid supersonic-assisted aqueous reaction at room temperature. It is demonstrated that the ZC nanorods radically grow on the surface of the hollow nanocomposite directly converted from MOF-microrods at 550 °C and form a caterpillar-like catalyst based on an oriented attachment mechanism. After in situ photo-reduction of AgNO3, the Ag–ZnO–C (AZC550) nanocomposite catalyst possesses ultrahigh photodegradation turnover frequency (TOF) values towards methyl blue (3.00 × 10−3 mol mol−1 min−1), 4-nitrophenol (0.14 × 10−3 mol mol−1 min−1) and amoxicillin (3.43 × 10−3 mol mol−1 min−1), as well as a photo-inactivation activity of 6.25 × 105 cfu mg−1 min−1 towards E. coli, outperforming most state-of-the-art catalysts reported thus far. The ameliorated photocatalytic performance and recyclability can be assigned to the synergistic effects between the Zn–C hierarchical nanoarchitecture and Ag-NPs. This work provides a new approach for the design of efficient solar photocatalysts.

Graphical abstract: Caterpillar-like Ag–ZnO–C hollow nanocomposites for efficient solar photocatalytic degradation and disinfection

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 Oki 2021
Accepted
04 Jan 2022
First published
14 Jan 2022

Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2022,9, 975-987

Caterpillar-like Ag–ZnO–C hollow nanocomposites for efficient solar photocatalytic degradation and disinfection

Y. Liu, Y. Wan, C. Kong, P. Cheng, Q. Cheng, Q. Liu, K. Liu, M. Xia, Q. Guo and D. Wang, Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2022, 9, 975 DOI: 10.1039/D1EN00943E

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