Facile Preparation of a Novel Bi2WO6/Calcined Mussel Shell Composite Photocatalyst with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance

Abstract

The exploration of cost-effective and highly efficient photocatalysts is still a great challenge. In this work, a cost-effective and highly active Bi2WO6/calcined mussel shell (CMS/BWO) composite photocatalyst was prepared by a facile solvothermal route, in which Bi2WO6 nanosheets were tightly, evenly, and vertically grown on waste calcined mussel shells (CMS). Multiple techniques are adopted to characterize the phases, morphology, and chemical properties of the as-fabricated catalysts. In contrast to the stacked Bi2WO6, CMS/BWO has numerous exposed edges and open transfer pathways, which can create more open space and reactive sites for photocatalytic reactions. Such favorable characteristics enable CMS/BWO to efficiently degrade organic pollutants (e.g., rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB), tetracycline hydrochloride (TC)) under visible light. Moreover, the generation of reactive species during the photocatalytic process is also examined by trapping experiments, disclosing the pivotal role of photo-generated holes (h+) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) in the photo-degradation of pollutants. Above all, this study not only provides an efficient photocatalyst for environmental remediation, but it also opens up new possibilities for waste mussel shell reutilization.

Synthesis of a CoO–ZnO photocatalyst for enhanced visible-light assisted photodegradation of methylene blue

“…The higher fluorescence intensity of CoO-ZnO shows that OH radicals are more radially produced in the presence of CoO-ZnO leading to enhanced photocatalytic activity. 14,15,[62][63][64][65][66] The reaction mechanism discussed above is outlined below. CoOÀZnO + Irradiation -CB(h + ) + VB(e À ) ( 2)…”

Figures of Merit for Photocatalysis: Comparison of NiO/La-NaTaO3 and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 as a Semiconductor and a Bio-Photocatalyst for Water Splitting

“…Using water as a reactant, H 2 can be obtained from the photocatalytic water splitting reaction [10]. Besides, photocatalysts can be used in a wide range of applications to tackle problems important to society and environment, e.g., air [11,12] and water purification [13,14], organic pollutant degradation [15,16], or bacterial disinfection [17,18].…”

Construction of a hydrangea-like Bi2WO6/BiOCl composite as a high-performance photocatalyst

“…As a sustainable energy conversion technique, photocatalysis has received increasing attention in the fields of degrading organic pollutants, [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] water splitting, [9][10][11] organic synthesis, CO 2 reduction, 12,13 and so on. To date, the design and preparation of semiconductor photocatalysts has primarily been a topic in the photocatalysis field.…”