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Abstract: TiO2/carbon paper composite materials with a hierarchically porous structure were synthesized by employing a filter paper as the support material and carbon source. The resorcinol–formaldehyde–block copolymer nanocomposite formed by the self-assembly of phenolic resin and F127 under acidic condition was selected as modifier of the microstructure of carbon paper. Results show that the as-adjusted carbon paper preserved the nanostructure of a pure carbonized filter paper. An ordered mesostructure was also formed. This micromorphology resulted in the increased specific surface area, as well as micropore and mesopore volumes, compared with the pure carbonized filter paper. When mesoporous TiO2 was deposited on the carbon paper with ordered mesopore by the evaporation-induced self-assembly route, the TiO2/carbon paper composite materials displayed excellent adsorption property and enhanced photocatalytic activity of methylene blue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights • The AgCl/g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure nanotube was firstly prepared by two-step method. • This composite catalyst has tubular-like structure embedded by AgCl nanoparticles. • The hybrid has better visible-induced photocatalytic activity compared to pure g-C 3 N 4. Abstract In this paper, we utilize a two-step solvothermal associated with in-situ ultrasonic precipitation method to construct novel AgCl/g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure nanotube. Thereafter, the structure and morphology of the hybrid was testified by XRD and FE-SEM, indicating that the hybrid was composed of hexagonal phase g-C 3 N 4 and cubic phase AgCl. Furthermore, the AgCl nanoparticles with the average size of 20 nm were completely dispersed on the surface and nozzle of the g-C 3 N 4 nanotube with the average diameter of 100 nm and the average length of 800 nm. Then the decontamination performance of AgCl/g-C 3 N 4 composite was investigated, showing that the AgCl (20%wt)/g-C 3 N 4 composite has higher photocatalytic effect on Rhodamine B (RhB) solution than pure g-C 3 N 4, which has the higher 92% total removal rate of RhB and the larger K value of 0.02827 min−1. The improved photocatalytic performance can be ascribed to the efficient separation and transfer of photo-generated electron-hole at the hybrid interface via a Z-scheme mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The linker-defects NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti) was prepared by a simple nitric acid etching method. • The formation of Ligand defects promotes efficient electron transfer rate. • The modified NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti) exhibits excellent photocatalytic performance for NO removal. In this paper, the photocatalytic properties of NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti) is enhanced by using a simple nitric acid etching method to form a ligand defect strategy. The structures and properties of the samples are characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, BET, TG, and UV–vis etc. The results display that the yield of modified NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti) photocatalytic NO removal experiment is significantly improved based on excellent photoresponse capacity. The optimal sample (0.1 mol/L HNO 3 -NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti)) shows excellent photocatalytic activity for NO removal under visible light irradiation (42.69%), which was 1.84 times higher than that of the original NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on photocatalytic activities has been investigated using visible light region rather consuming ultraviolet region. In this Paper, a facile and eco-friendly method was developed to the synthesis of TiO 2 NPs using Aloe Vera gel (AV-TiO 2 ). The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, XPS, HRTEM, EDAX and Raman spectroscopy. The sharp peaks by XRD pattern show the crystallinity and purity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The shape and morphology were studied by HR-TEM images and confirms the NPs size which falls in the range from 6 to 13 nm. Raman spectrum and XPS shows the energy modes and oxidation state of synthesized TiO 2 NPs. TiO 2 -mediated photo-degradation of trinitrophenol (Picric acid- PA) irradiated by visible light source has also been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we firstly prepared V 0.13 Mo 0.87 O 2.935 /MoS 2 nanocomposites via in-situ hydrothermal approach based on the NH 4 VO 3 and MoS 2 as precursors. The structures and morphologies of the obtained products indicated that the cluster composites have flower-like structure with an average particle size of about 2 µm assembled by regular nanosheets and they were comprised of 2H-MoS 2 phase and hexagonal V 0.13 Mo 0.87 O 2.935 phase. Furthermore, the visible-driven photocatalytic experiment results showed that the V 0.13 Mo 0.87 O 2.935 /MoS 2 composites display better degradation ability in contrast to pure MoS 2 and the optimal V 0.13 Mo 0.87 O 2.935 (10 wt%)/MoS 2 sample with the largest K value of 0.04908 min −1 showed the most significant total removal rate of Rhodmine B (RhB) is up to 96.72%. Finally, the enhanced photocatalytic activities of the products could be attributed to the suppression of charge recombination by confined space effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ) ceramic is mainly used as the catalyst support for photocatalytic application. In this paper, Si 3 N 4 nanowires (SNWs) were successfully prepared by directly nitriding Si powders and firstly applied as an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of antibiotic residues. Comparing with commercial Si 3 N 4 powder (SNPs), the prepared SNWs demonstrate enhanced photocatalytic activity for tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) photodegradation under UV–vis light with good stability. The improved photocatalytic performance should come from its unique morphology and small size. The synthesis and application of Si 3 N 4 nanowires in removing antibiotic residue may contribute to development of newly efficient photocatalyst for environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report that a silicon hierarchical structure, silicon nanoporous pillar array (Si-NPA), was prepared and its visible photocatalytic properties were studied by selecting methyl orange (MO) as the target substance. It was shown that a broadband visible light absorption beyond 96% was reached and a one-hour degradation of 97.7% was achieved under optimized conditions. The excellent photocatalytic property of Si-NPA was attributed to the enlarged bandgap brought by quantum confinement effect and the unique surface morphology and microstructure of Si-NPA. Our experiments might have put forward a promising route for fabricating Si-based photocatalyst to degrade organic pollutants in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, novel Z-scheme octahedral Cu 2 O/Ag 3 PO 4 composites are fabricated by a facile chemical method at low temperature. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are used to investigate the crystal structure and optical properties of the as-prepared nanocomposites. Photocatalytic activity of catalysts is displayed by methylene blue (MB) removal under visible light irradiation. The results show that photocatalytic performance of Cu 2 O/Ag 3 PO 4 is much higher than that of Cu 2 O and Ag 3 PO 4 , and the kinetic constant k app of MB degradation over Cu 2 O/Ag 3 PO 4 is 0.30447 min −1 , which is 7.0 and 2.1 times as high as those of Cu 2 O and Ag 3 PO 4 , respectively. Finally, the possible separation mechanism of electrons and holes is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• BiOBr/FTO composites are obtained by roasting ethanol dispersion of BiOBr powder. • Composites enhance photogenerated carrier migration and diffuse reflection of light. • Composites with good photocatalytic cycle stability for easy recycling and reuse. In this paper, the growth of BiOBr cluster spheres on Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide (FTO) substrates was achieved by ethanol dispersion of BiOBr powder and subsequent roasting treatment. After ultraviolet (UV) illumination for 30 min, the BiOBr/FTO composite film could degrade 68 % of 10 mg/L rhodamine B (RhB), which was 36 % higher than that realized by BiOBr powder. The good photocatalytic stability of the composite film was maintained after three cycles. This study revealed the advantages of photocatalytic efficiency enhancement and easy integration of photocatalytic reactors brought about by the thin-film composite of FTO and cluster spheres BiOBr and provided a promising solution for photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel Au/FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by the precipitation and photodeposition method. The obtained photocatalysts were characterized by several techniques, such as X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, UV–vis absorption spectra and photoluminescence. The transmission electron microscopy showed that the Au nanoparticles were finally dispersed on the surface of FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 heterojunction. The enhanced absorption in visible light region and the efficient photogenerated electron-hole pairs separation were achieved after loading of Au and FeVO 4 particles on Bi 2 O 3 photocatalysts, as revealed by UV–vis absorption spectra and photoluminescence measurement. The photocatalytic examination of the photocatalyst was carried out through decomposition of malachite green under visible-light irradiation. The Au/FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 photocatalyst displayed superior photocatalytic activity for degradation of malachite green. Additionally, a possible catalytic mechanism for Au/FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 photocatalyst was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the antibacterial properties of the group of titanium dioxide photocatalysts modified with glucose are presented. TiO 2 /glucose samples were calcined at 200–800 °C. It was found that the antibacterial activity under artificial solar light depends mainly on the carbon content in studied materials. It should be noted that presence of carbon in tested samples caused the enhancement of the antibacterial activity in comparison with non-carbon containing samples. Thus, using carbon for TiO 2 modification is highly desirable. The best results were found for TiO 2 -G-400 and TiO 2 -G-600 samples with total reduction of bacteria number after 15 min of irradiation with artificial solar light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, sulfur-doped graphitic carbon nitride (CNS) was synthesized by a facile and efficient heating method, phthalocyanine sensitized CNS via an ultrasound-assisted impregnation method to construct dye/CNS composite materials. The structure and morphology of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffused reflectance spectra (DRS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric Analysis Meter (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR). Under visible-light irradiation, the products exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performances for degrading methylene blue (MB). The dramatically improved performance of the composites can be attributed to the increase of specific surface area, the enhancement of the visible-light absorption, and the efficient separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, CdMoO 4 photocatalyst with enhanced sunlight-driven photocatalytic performance was prepared by a microwave hydrothermal method with the assistance of sodium dodecylbenzenseulfonate (SDBS). The photocatalysts were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Tellermethod method (BET), surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The photocatalytic activities of the photocatalysts were evaluated by the decay of rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) aqueous solution under simulated sunlight irradiation. The results demonstrate that adding SDBS into the reaction system increases the specific surface area, enhances the photo-induced charge separation rate of CdMoO 4 and the formation of ·O 2 – . The photocatalytic activity of SDBS-CdMoO 4 is higher than that of the reference CdMoO 4 , originating from the efficient separation of photo-induced charge pairs and increased specific surface area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel MAX Phase/Polyaniline nanocomposites as a photocatalyst for the degradation of industrial dyes. • Facile and one pot synthesis of MAX phase/polyaniline nanocomposite. • Introduction of the MAX phase into the polymer matrix resulted in enhanced photocatalytic efficiency. • The development of cost-effective and highly efficient catalyst. Among various treatment methods photocatalysis is considered the most efficient method owing to the high efficiency and use of abundant sunlight. The use of photocatalysts not only removes harmful bacteria but also degrades toxic organic pollutants. From TiO 2 by Fujiyama and Honda (1972) as photocatalyst, the materials studies have been evolved, chemically, and morphologically modified for higher competency. It is known that the preparation of nanocomposites and hybrid materials leads to enhanced performance over pristine materials. Therefore, this paper reports preparation of MAX phase-polyaniline nanocomposite as an excellent photocatalyst for degradation of pollutant model dye, methyl orange (MO). The photocatalysts' performance was measured through the degradation of MO dye under solar light irradiation. It was found that the nanocomposites exhibits better performance than the pure polymer and MAX phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, nanocone-assembled hedgehog-like SnO 2 was synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process. Once under UV irradiation, the response of the as-prepared 3D SnO 2 towards 100 ppm H 2 at low temperature (50 ° C) was improved almost 3.5 times ( S =9.5) over that in dark. The enhancement may be attributed to the co-effect from three aspects: (1) the heavy electron depletion induced by oxygen chemisorption due to the Debye length scale dimensions of nanocones; (2) vast reaction sites and sufficient diffusion spaces provided by the 1D–3D configuration; (3) the possibility that the refreshed photoinduced oxygen ions on the surface of SnO 2 are more energetic than chemisorbed oxygen ions and promote the photo-catalytic reaction of H 2 even at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper described the fabrication of one-dimensional ZnO/Au nanohybrids via molecule-directed controllable assembly method. Tunable optical absorption property and reduced PL intensity were observed in the corresponding spectra of as-prepared ZnO/Au nancomposites. Owing to unique interphase boundaries and synergetic effect between ZnO nanorods and Au nanoparticles, these ZnO/Au nanoassemblies showed significantly improved photocatalytic activity toward dye photo-removal reaction in comparision with pure ZnO components, which holds promise for applications in water purification and environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Preparation of vermiwash powered tin oxide as enzyme-coupled photocatalyst for the first time. • Enzymes inheritance by prepared nanoproducts from vermiwash. • Correlation of photocatalytic efficiency improvement with SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR and Enzyme studies. This paper reports the preparation of enzyme-coupled tin oxide (SnO 2) nanomaterial using vermiwash and its photocatalytic dye decomposing efficiency, for the first time. The vermiwash used in the precursor solution was varied as 10, 20, 100 and 200 mL. It is found that the vermiwash powered nanoproducts inherit enzymes of vermiwash like phosphatase, urease, amylase and protease which act as co-catalysts to improve the efficiency. The mechanism behind the improved photocatalytic activity of the enzyme-coupled nanomaterial has been illustrated. The vermiwash-activated SnO 2 nanopowders were also characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, UV–vis absorption and FT-IR. These results are correlated with the photocatalytic degradation abilities of the samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Cu 2 O octahedral microcrystal was successfully synthesized by a facile one-step reaction at relatively low temperature of 96 °C. The morphology, chemical composition, crystal structure and optical properties were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results indicated that the size of Cu 2 O octahedral particles is 1.5–2 μm and the samples are very pure. In addition, the photocatalytic performance of samples was evaluated by the cycling degradation of methylene blue (MB) under 410 nm light emitting diode (LED) irradiation. Cu 2 O exhibited efficient and stable photocatalytic activity, and the rate constant for the degradation of MB photocatalyzed by Cu 2 O is 7.7 times more than that of P25 TiO 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, novel micro-nano heterostructure AgBr/ZnO composite was successfully synthesized by a facile one-step hydrothermal reaction at 160°C. Its morphology, crystallinity, chemical composition and optical properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results have indicated that AgBr nanoparticles were evenly distributed on the surface of ZnO microrods. In addition, the photocatalytic activities of samples were evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under 410nm light emitting diode (LED) irradiation. Micro-nano heterostructure AgBr/ZnO composite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity among ZnO microrods, AgBr and Degussa P25. The stability of heterostructure AgBr/ZnO composite was characterized through cyclic photocatalytic test. Results indicated promising stable degradation performance of micro-nano heterostructure AgBr/ZnO composite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Recently, the enhanced field emission, photocatalytic activity and blue shift in UV emission of branched GaN nanowire structures were reported. Nevertheless, enhanced luminescence in branched GaN nanowires have not been reported despite the importance of short-wavelength emission. This paper reports synthesis of self-catalytic brush-like GaN nanowires exhibiting enhanced near-ultraviolet (NUV) emission. The diameters of the branches in the brush-like nanowires ranged from 3 to 14nm, whereas those of backbones ranged from 30 to 80nm. In contrast, the diameters of pristine nanowires were in a similar range to those of the backbones in the brush-like nanowires. The brush-like GaN nanowires showed significantly enhanced NUV emission compared to pristine GaN nanowires. This enhanced NUV emission might be due to the quantum confinement of excitons caused by the branches in the brush-like nanowires with diameters smaller than the Bohr exciton radius. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Titanium oxides encapsulated in well-graphitized thin carbon shells were prepared directly by burning tetrabutyl titanate, and the effect of the proportion of anatase to rutile TiO2 on the photocatalytic activity was investigated in this paper. The preparation method of the materials is simple without special equipment and complex process control. The prepared anatase/rutile TiO2@C samples exhibit better photocatalytic activity under UV irradiation. The best photocatalytic activity can be obtained when the weight ratio of the anatase to rutile phase is 83.8: 16.2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we report the successful synthesis of ZnO nano-mushrooms (ZNM) by the solution combustion method and their effective use as a photocatalyst for photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange. The synthesized ZNM were characterized in terms of their morphological, structural and optical properties. The detailed characterizations confirmed that the synthesized ZNM possess mushroom-shaped morphologies, grown in high density and exhibit well-crystallinity with good optical properties. The photocatalytic properties of ZNM were investigated under UV light irradiation via methyl orange (MO) as a model organic compound. The influence of operating parameters such as amount of ZNM and dye concentration was thoroughly examined in order to obtain best condition for photocatalytic degradation. Under optimum condition, over 92% photo-degradation of MO was achieved in 210min. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hollow structures are attracting increasing attention due to their unique properties and potential applications in many fields. Despite the great successes achieved in the synthesis of hollow spheres, the preparation of nonspherical hollow structures still remains a great challenge. In this paper, we developed a facile method to prepare hematite hollow structures with cocoon-like shape. The as-prepared hematite nanococoons were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM). Such cocoon-like structures are with a uniform diameter of 18nm, length of 90nm, and shell thickness of 5nm. Furthermore, the as-prepared sample exhibited high visible-light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange due to their special hollow structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, novel uniformly distributed silver sulfide/bismuth sulfide nanocomposites (Ag2S/Bi2S3 NCs) were prepared by using one-step method for the photocatalytic inactivation against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) under solar light irradiation. The results showed that Ag2S/Bi2S3 NCs simultaneously had uniform platelets and coralloid particles with regular shape and perfect dispersion properties and could render the capability of absorbing a broad solar spectrum. The antibacterial tests demonstrated that higher bactericidal rate was obtained with 1.0mg/mL of Ag2S/Bi2S3 NCs under solar light irradiation during 100min at 37°C. It was confirmed by using fluorescence method that hydroxyl radicals generated in the photocatalytic process were the major responsibility for the photoinactivation. This work provides a promising photocatalyst in the bactericidal fields. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Incorporation of nanoparticles is becoming a new strategy for improving antibacterial activity. In this paper, Copper (Cu)/titanium dioxide (TiO2) (CTD) nanocomposite was easily prepared by photocatalytic reduction, and its structure as well as antibacterial activity in the absence of light was investigated in detail. The results show that the CTD nanocomposite exhibits good antibacterial activity even in the absence of light. The minimal inhibition concentration against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus is 21.4μg/mL and 14.3μg/mL, respectively, which are much lower than that of pure silver, Cu and TiO2 nanoparticles. In addition, the enhanced antibacterial effect of the CTD nanocomposite may be explained by synergistic antibacterial effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, a two-step route was designed to prepare AgBr nanoparticles (NPs)-modified BiOBr nanoplates. Smooth BiOBr nanoplates were firstly synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method employing Bi(NO3)3 and KBr as the reactants in the absence of any surfactant or template; sequentially, smooth BiOBr nanoplates were immerged into a diluted AgNO3 solution to generate AgBr/BiOBr composite nanostructures based on ion exchanges. The as-obtained products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Photodegradation experiments showed that AgBr NPs-modified BiOBr nanoplates exhibited superior and better photocatalytic property compared with commercial P25 and pure BiOBr nanoplates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, hierarchical porous ZnO microspheres were successfully synthesized by calcining the microspheric zinc hydroxide carbonate (ZHC) precursor, which were the precipitate products of a hydrothermal reaction by zinc nitrate hexahydrate and urea in the presence of trisodium citrate. The as-prepared ZnO microspheres with diameters of 4–5μm were assembled by numerous porous nanosheets which had the uniform thickness of about 10nm. The photocatalytic activity of the ZnO microspheres was evaluated by photodegradation reaction of methylene blue (MB). The as-prepared ZnO microspheres exhibited a significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity than commercial ZnO and TiO2. This was mainly attributed to the larger specific surface area and stability against aggregation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Multistructural tungsten oxide samples were prepared using the hydrothermal method in the presence of different sulfates. In this paper, we present WO3 nanorods, WO3 toothpicks and cubic WO3 samples prepared in the presence of Na2SO4, Li2SO4 and FeSO4, respectively. These catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS and UV–vis DR. It is found that Fe2O3 was impregnated in the cubic WO3 which is different from other two samples. After Pt loading, Pt-loaded WO3 with different morphology acting as novel visible light-driven photocatalysts showed remarkably high photocatalytic activity under visible light radiation. Significantly, the maximum efficiency of photodegradation was observed at 1wt.% Pt loading amount in the cubic WO3 sample. The highest photocatalytic activity of the cubic Pt/Fe2O3/WO3 photocatalyst is attributed to the synergistic action of Pt nanoparticles and Fe2O3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper describes the effect of different curing temperatures on the geopolymerization process, physical, mechanical and optical properties of a metakaolin-based geopolymer activated by alkali. The influence of different curing temperatures (within the range 30 to 90°C) was studied systematically by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), SEM, UV/Vis Spectrophotometry, Leaching analysis and Brunauer–Emmet–Teller method (BET). The results showed the existence of an optimum temperature at which the geopolymer presents the best physical and mechanical properties. The geopolymers cured at 30 and 90°C presented high porosity, and were translucent to the Visible light, which makes possible to tailor this inorganic polymers for optical and photocatalytic applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, α-Fe 2 O 3 photocatalyst with enhanced solar-driven photocatalytic activity was prepared by a facile hydrothermal routine with the assistance of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The surface parameters, the distribution of particle size, structure, morphology, and the photo-induced charge separation rate of the photocatalyst prepared (CTAB-Fe 2 O 3 ) were characterized by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, particle size analyzer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface photovoltage (SPV) spectroscopy, respectively. The results reveal that CTAB alters the surface parameter and the morphology, decreases the particle size, and enhances the photo-induced charge separation rate of α-Fe 2 O 3 . The photocatalytic activity of CTAB-Fe 2 O 3 for decolorization of methyl orange (MO) solution was evaluated. The results show that the photocatalytic activity of CTAB-Fe 2 O 3 is more than five times of that of the reference Fe 2 O 3 and the possible reason was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bio-template method is a simple, controllable and environmental friendly strategy to synthesize nanomaterials. It also avails the formation of bioactive and biocompatible nanoparticle–biomolecule hybrid for biotechnical applications. In this paper, silk fibroin was first successfully used as biomolecule template for the biomimic synthesis of CdS and ZnS quantum dots (QDs). The QDs showed promising applications as fluorescence probes and nanocatalysts. The effect of preparation situation to their optical and photocatalytic properties was well researched and CdS QDs with satisfying catalytic activities could be achieved by adjusting the protein matrix. It offers us a low-cost and effective way to synthesize series of sulfide semiconductor nanomaterials using silk fibroin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A core-shell structure TiO2/BaFe12O19 composite nanoparticles that can photodegrade organic pollutants in the dispersion system effectively and can be recycled easily by a magnetic field is reported in this paper. The obtained samples were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TiO2/BaFe12O19 magnetic photocatalyst is composed of two parts: (1) TiO2 shell used for photocatalysis and (2) BaFe12O19 core for separation by the magnetic field. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared magnetic photocatalyst increased with increasing the thickness of TiO2 coating layer. On the other hand, the saturation magnetizations of titania-coated BaFe12O19 nanoparticles decreased with increasing thickness of the titania coating, while the coercivity does not show any change after coating. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, unique hierarchical nanosheet-assembled BiOBr microspheres were successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process. The morphological and structural observation and crystallinity of the products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The results showed that hierarchical BiOBr microspheres, composed of nanosheets, are uniform and very pure. Methylene blue (MB) was employed as a representative dye pollutant to evaluate the high photocatalytic activity of BiOBr under visible light irradiation (>420 nm), the photocatalytic reaction follows first-order kinetics and the rate constant for the degradation of MB photocatalyzed by BiOBr is much higher than that of Degussa P25. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 3D Bi 12 O 17 Cl 2 hierarchical structure was firstly fabricated. • 3D Bi 12 O 17 Cl 2 hierarchical structure had better ability than 2D nanosheets. • 3D Bi 12 O 17 Cl 2 hierarchical structure exhibited excellent stability. In this paper, 3D Bi 12 O 17 Cl 2 hierarchical structure was prepared for the first time. Its formation principle, surface feature, elementary composition, crystal structure, light absorbed ability were characterized. Then the photocatalytic activity was tested by degrading rhodamine b under visible-light. It was found that 3D Bi 12 O 17 Cl 2 hierarchical structure exhibited better performance than 2D Bi 12 O 17 Cl 2 nanosheets and g-C 3 N 4 , and had excellent stability. This study does not only provide a novel idea for the preparation of 3D Bi 12 O 17 Cl 2 hierarchical structure, but also promotes the development of Bi based photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, three dimensional (3D) Cu2SnS3 architectures were successfully synthesized via a simple solvothermal route. The structure, morphology and optical properties of the as-prepared samples were characterized by using an X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–vis DRS). The SEM and TEM image indicated that the flower Cu2SnS3 architectures consist of large number of uniform nanosheets. The band gap is about 2.42eV, which have been confirmed by UV–vis DRS. Photocatalytic activities by photodegradation reaction of methylene blue (MB) were investigated under visible-light irradiation. The results indicate the potential applications of the Cu2SnS3 architectures in visible-light-driven photocatalysts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, the TiO2/carbon (TiO2/C) composites were synthesized by simply mixing a TiO2 sol with a semi-cured resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF) polymer, followed by drying, heat-treating at 600°C in an argon atmosphere, and calcinating in air atmosphere at different temperature (from 300 to 600°C). As-prepared TiO2/C composites were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS), thermal analysis (TA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that the TiO2/C composite which has been eventually calcinated at 400°C in air possesses the highest visible-light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) and the removal of propylene. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, unique AgBr microcrystals with high aspect ratio were successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process at 150°C. The morphological and structural observations and crystallinity of the products grown were carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). The results showed that the products with three cracks are uniform and very pure. Methylene blue (MB) was employed as a representative dye pollutant to evaluate the visible light photocatalytic activity of AgBr using 450nm LED light. The photocatalytic reaction follows first-order kinetics and the rate constant for the degradation of MB photocatalyzed by AgBr is much more than that of commercial P25. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports the successful synthesis of ZnO nanocapsules and their utilization as a photocatalyst for photocatalytic degradation of thionine. The nanocapsules were synthesized by facile hydrothermal process and characterized in detail in terms of their morphological, structural and optical properties. The detailed studies revealed that the synthesized nanocapsules possess well-crystalline and good optical properties. By utilizing the as-synthesized ZnO nanocapsules as a photocatalyst, significant photocatalytic degradation was observed towards thionine dye under light illumination. The considerable photo-degradation of thionine dye was due to the unique morphology and high surface area of synthesized ZnO nanocapsules which might import the effective electron/hole separation and might generate the large number of oxy-radicals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present paper reports a novel visible light-driven photocatalyst, Sr0.25Bi0.75O1.36 prepared by a simple impregnation–calcination method. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and density functional theory were applied to investigate the physical/photophysical properties and electronic structure of the catalyst. The photocatalytic activity of Sr0.25Bi0.75O1.36 was evaluated by the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) in an aqueous solution under visible light irradiation (λ>420nm). Pure Sr0.25Bi0.75O1.36 is found to possess an optical band gap of 2.43eV and exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity for MB photodegradation. The theoretical calculations show that the electronic structure of the photocatalyst favors the mobility of photo-generated charge carriers and positively contributes to the photocatalytic reaction. The good photoabsorption and special electronic structure are believed to be the origin of the high activity of the photocatalyst. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper describes a one-pot surfactant-assisted hydrothermal method for the synthesis of Ag-TiO2 composite hollow structures with high photocatalytic activity. TEM measurement reveals that the sample is composed of hollow spheres and their tube-like aggregates. The surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) plays a key role in the construction of the Ag-TiO2 hollow structures. The Ag-TiO2 hollow structures showed effective photocatalytic activity for the decomposition of methyl orange. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we developed a facile low-temperature solution route to prepare radical-shaped ZnO microprisms and to deposit metal silver on the surface of ZnO to form Ag/ZnO microstructures. The samples were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Experimental results show that the deposition of metal Ag nanospecies can be achieved successfully by simply aging the solution at 75°C, and the radical-shaped microstructures of ZnO are well maintained. The Ag/ZnO microstructures exhibit much lower PL emission intensity and much higher photocatalytic activity than those of radical-shaped ZnO microprisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Titanium dioxide is one of the best semiconductor photocatalysts available for photocatalysis. In this paper, titanium dioxide nanofiber membranes are prepared by post-anneal-assisted electrospinning process. The obtained membrane is composed of anatase titanium dioxide continuous and porous nanofibers with diameters ranging from 65 to 115 nm. An optimized annealing scheme is determined. Photocatalytic measurements show that the photocatalytic efficiency of the anatase TiO2 nanofiber membrane is 72%, which is highly superior to that of the anatase TiO2 thin film (44%). It is believed that the large specific surface area intensively enhances the photocatalytic reactions and the good shape retention might be favorable for recuperability and practicality. The potential applications for environmental purification are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]