Enhancement photocatalytic activity of the heterojunction of two-dimensional hybrid semiconductors ZnO/V2O5
Aliaga, Juan (Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana. Departamento de Química (Chile))
Cifuentes, Nasla (Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana. Departamento de Química (Chile))
González, Guillermo (Centro para el Desarrollo de la Nanociencia y la Nanotecnología (Chile))
Sotomayor Torres, Clivia M. (Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia)
Benavente, Eglantina (Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana. Departamento de Química (Chile))

Date:	2018
Abstract:	In this work, we report the fabrication of the new heterojunction of two 2D hybrid layered semiconductors-ZnO (stearic acid)/VO (hexadecylamine)-and its behavior in the degradation of aqueous methylene blue under visible light irradiation. The optimal photocatalyst efficiency, reached at a ZnO (stearic acid)/VO (hexadecylamine) ratio of 1:0. 25, results in being six times higher than that of pristine zinc oxide. Reusability test shows that after three photocatalysis cycles, no significant changes in either the dye degradation efficiency loss, nor the photocatalyst structure, occur. Visible light photocatalytic performance observed indicates there is synergetic effect between both 2D nanocomposites used in the heterojunction. The visible light absorption enhancement promoted by the narrower bandgap VO based components; an increased photo generated charge separation favored by extensive interface area; and abundance of hydrophobic sites for dye adsorption appear as probable causes of the improved photocatalytic efficiency in this hybrid semiconductors heterojunction. Estimated band-edge positions for both conduction and valence band of semiconductors, together with experiments using specific radical scavengers, allow a plausible photodegradation mechanism.
Grants:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad FIS2015-70862-P Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad SEV-2013-0295
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Photocatalysis ; Heterojunction ; Two-dimensional semiconductor ; ZnO ; V2O5 ; Methylene blue degradation
Published in:	Catalysts, Vol. 8, Issue 9 (September 2018) , art. 374, ISSN 2073-4344

DOI: 10.3390/catal8090374

13 p, 1.8 MB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles