Composites of laminar nanostructured ZnO and VOx-nanotubes hybrid as visible light active photocatalysts
Benavente, Eglantina (Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana (Xile). Departamento de Química)
Navas, Daniel (Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana (Xile). Departamento de Química)
Devis, Sindy (Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana (Xile). Departamento de Química)
Segovia, Marjorie (Universidad de Chile. Departamento de Química)
Sotomayor Torres, Clivia M. (Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia)
González, Guillermo (Centro para el Desarrollo de la Nanociencia y la Nanotecnología (Chile))

Date:	2018
Abstract:	A series of hybrid heterostructured nanocomposites of ZnO with VO nanotubes (VOx-NTs) in different mixing ratios were synthesized, with the aim of reducing the recombination of photoinduced charge carriers and to optimize the absorption of visible light. The study was focused on the use of heterostructured semiconductors that can extend light absorption to the visible range and enhance the photocatalytic performance of ZnO in the degradation of methylene blue as a model pollutant. The addition of VOx-NTs in the synthesis mixture led to a remarkable performance in the degradation of the model dye, with hybrid ZnO (stearic acid)/VOx-NTs at a ratio of 1:0. 06 possessing the highest photocatalytic activity, about seven times faster than pristine zinc oxide. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopic measurements and experiments in the presence of different trapping elements allowed us to draw conclusions regarding the band positions and photocatalytic degradation mechanism. The photocatalytic activity measured in three subsequent cycles showed good reusability as no significant loss in efficiency of dye degradation was observed.
Grants:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad SEV-2013-0295 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad FIS2015-70862-P
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:	ZnO nanocomposites ; VOx nanotubes ; Visible light photocatalyst ; Methylene blue degradation
Published in:	Catalysts, Vol. 8, Issue 2 (February 2018) , art. 93, ISSN 2073-4344

DOI: 10.3390/catal8020093

10 p, 3.4 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