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Fabrication of MoS2@TiO2 hollow‐sphere heterostructures with enhanced visible light photocatalytic reduction of U(VI)

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Abstract

The MoS2@TiO2 hollow sphere heterostructures (MoS2@THS) were synthesized and used for photocatalytic reduction of U(VI) from wastewater under visible light. The optimum MoS2@THS-12 shows the highest photocatalytic reduction rate (irradiated for 80 min) with excellent recyclability and stability, which is approximately 4.1 times as much as the pure MoS2. The improved photocatalytic activity of MoS2@THS-12 is mainly due to the II-types heterojunction formed between MoS2 and THS. Meanwhile, the photogenerated electrons and superoxide radical are important active species in the photoreduction U(VI) process. The results provide an effective strategy for uranium resource utilization and pollution abatement.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank State Administration of Science. Technology and Industry for National Defense, China for funding this work under the [2014]1587 Grant, and the School of Geosciences, East China University of Technology for providing geology and mechanics data in the Tamusu pre-selected area for geological disposal of HLW.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geosciences, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, People’s Republic of China

    Gengwei Rao, Xiaodong Liu & Pinghui Liu

  2. State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Resources and environment, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, People’s Republic of China

    Gengwei Rao, Xiaodong Liu & Pinghui Liu

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  1. Gengwei Rao
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  2. Xiaodong Liu
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Correspondence to Gengwei Rao.

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Rao, G., Liu, X. & Liu, P. Fabrication of MoS2@TiO2 hollow‐sphere heterostructures with enhanced visible light photocatalytic reduction of U(VI). J Radioanal Nucl Chem 331, 263–273 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-08091-2

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