Vu Nu Truong Thi, Thi Tran Nhu Hoa, Truong Phuoc Loc, Phan Bach Thang, Nguyen Dinh Minh Tuan, Dinh Van-Phuc, Phan Thanh Son, Go Seongmoon, Chang Mincheol, Loan Trinh Kieu The, Van Tran Vinh
Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, The University of Da Nang, Da Nang, 550000, Viet Nam.
Faculty of Materials Science and Technology, University of Science, HoChiMinh, Viet Nam; Vietnam National University, HoChiMinh, Viet Nam.
Environ Res. 2022 Apr 15;206:112631. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112631. Epub 2021 Dec 30.
TiO is a well-known semiconductor used widely in the photocatalyst field, but its photocatalytic applications are hampered by a fast electron-hole recombination rate and low visible light absorption due to a wide-band-gap energy. Herein, we present a simple, low cost, and green approach to obtain carbon dots from microalgae, namely microalgae-based carbon dots (MCDs), using an unprecedented microwave-assisted treatment. The MCDs were successfully decorated on the surface of TiO nanoparticles. The as-prepared composite exhibited a superior photodegradation of methylene blue, compared with pristine TiO (83% and 27%, respectively) under visible light irradiation. The MCDs in TiO-MCDs serve as electron reservoirs to trap photoinduced electrons and as photosensitizers for the improvement of visible light absorption; both factors play an important role in the improvement of the TiO photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the as-prepared composite photocatalyst also exhibits high photostability and recyclability during the photodegradation of methylene blue. Therefore, this work provides an original approach to the development of environmentally friendly and highly effective photocatalysts for the treatment of various organic pollutants, which can go a long way toward ensuring a safe and sustainable environment.
TiO是一种在光催化剂领域广泛使用的著名半导体，但其光催化应用受到快速的电子-空穴复合率和由于宽带隙能量导致的低可见光吸收的阻碍。在此，我们提出一种简单、低成本且绿色的方法，即使用前所未有的微波辅助处理从微藻中获得碳点，即基于微藻的碳点（MCDs）。MCDs成功地修饰在TiO纳米颗粒的表面。与原始TiO相比，所制备的复合材料在可见光照射下对亚甲基蓝表现出优异的光降解性能（分别为83%和27%）。TiO-MCDs中的MCDs作为电子库捕获光生电子，并作为光敏剂提高可见光吸收；这两个因素在提高TiO光催化活性方面都起着重要作用。此外，所制备的复合光催化剂在亚甲基蓝的光降解过程中还表现出高光稳定性和可回收性。因此，这项工作为开发用于处理各种有机污染物的环境友好型高效光催化剂提供了一种原创方法，这对于确保安全和可持续的环境大有帮助。
