Abstract
A nanocomposite photocatalyst composed of AlFeO3 and TiO2 is prepared, and characterized through X-ray diffraction. Application of the nanocomposite for the photodegradations of eosin dye and methyl orange gives an improved photoactivity compared with TiO2-only nanomaterials. The optimal concentration of AlFeO3 in the composite is about 1.0 wt% under UV excitation, and 9.0 wt% under sunlight excitation for the improved photoactivity. Furthermore, this nanocomposite is more active for eosin photodegradation if natural sunlight rather than UV is used. This may be due to the reason that adding AlFeO3 nanoparticles into TiO2 matrix can promote the separation of photogener-ated charge carriers, and extend the photoresponse of TiO2 toward visible region, which results in an increase in the solar energy utilization efficiency.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Olis, D. F., Pelizzetti, E., Serpone, N., Photocatalyzed destruction of water contaminants, Environ. Soc. Technol., 1991, 25(9): 1522–1529.
Serpone, N., Brief introductory remarks on heterogeneous photocatalysis, Solar Energy Mater. Solar Cells, 1995, 38: 369–379.
Hodes, G., Howell, I. D., Peter, L., Nanocrystalline photoelectrochemical cells—A new concept in photovoltaic cells, J. Electrochem. Soc., 1992, 139(11): 3136–3140.
Sodergren, S., Hagfeldt, A., Olsson, J. et al., Theoretical models for the action spectrum and the current-voltage characteristics of microporous semiconductor films in photoelectrochemical cells, J. Phys. Chem., 1994, 98(21): 5552–5556.
Choi, W., Termin, A., Hoffmann, M. R., The role of metal ion dopants in quantum-sized TiO2: Correlation between photoreactivity and charge carrier recombination dynamics, J. Phys. Chem., 1994, 98(51): 13669–13679.
Mills, A., Davies, R. H., Worsley, D., Water-purification by semiconductor photocatalysis, Chem. Soc. Rev., 1993, 22(6): 417–425.
Gerisher, H., Heller, A., The role of oxygen in photooxidation of organic molecules on semiconductor particles, J. Phys. Chem., 1991, 95(13): 5261–5267.
Asahi, A., Morikawa, T., Ohwaki, T. et al., Visible-light photocatalysis in nitrogen-doped titanium oxides, Science, 2001, 293(5528): 269–271.
Fuerte, A., Hernández-Alonso, M. D., Maira, A. J. et al., Visible light-activated nanosized doped-TiO2 photocatalysts, Chem. Commun., 2001, (24): 2718-2719.
Lettmann, C., Hildenbrand, K., Kisch, H. et al., Visible light photodegradation of 4-chlorophenol with a coke-containing titanium dioxide photocatalyst, Appl. Catal. B: Environ., 2001, 32: 215–227.
Bolton, J. R., The photochemical conversion and storage of solar energy: an historical perspective, Solar Energy Mater. Solar Cells, 1995, 38: 543–554.
Ross, H., Bending, J., Hecht, S., Sensitized photocatalytical oxidation of terbutylazine, Solar Energy Mater. Solar Cells, 1994, 33: 475–481.
Vinodgopal, K., Wynkop, D. E., Kamat, P. V., Environmental photochemistry on semiconductor surfaces: Photosensitized degradation of a textile azo dye, acid orange 7, on TiO2 particles using visible light, Environ. Sci. Technol., 1996, 30(5): 1660–1666.
O’Regan, B., Grätzel, M., A low-cost, high-efficiency solar-cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO2 films, Nature, 1991, 353(6346): 737–740.
Martin, S. T., Morrison, C. L., Hoffmann, M. R., Photochemical mechanism of size-quantized vanadium-doped TiO2 particles, J. Phys. Chem., 1994, 98(51): 13695–13704.
Qu, Q., Zhao, J. C., Shou, T., TiO2-assisted photodegradation of dyes: A study of two competitive primary processes in the degradation of RB in an aqueous TiO2 colloidal solution, J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem., 1998, 129: 257–268.
Herrmann, J. M., Disdier, J., Pichat, P., Effect of chromium doping on the electrical and catalytic properties of powder titania under UV and visible illumination, Chem. Phys. Lett., 1984, 108(6): 618–622.
Vogel, R., Hoye, P., Weller, H., Sensitization of highly porous, polycrystalline TiO2 electrodes by quantum sized CdS, Chem. Phys. Lett., 1990, 174(3-4): 241–246.
Liu, D., Kamat, P. V., Photoelectrochemical behavior of thin CdSe and coupled TiO2/CdSe semiconductor films, J. Phys. Chem., 1993, 97(41): 10769–10773.
Ennaoui, A., Fiechter, S., Tributsch, H. et al., Photoelectrochemical energy-conversion obtained with ultrathin organo-metallic-chemical-vapor-deposition layer of FeS2 (pyrite) on TiO2, J. Elec-trochem. Soc., 1992, 139(9): 2514–2518.
Yuan, Z. H., You, W., Jia, J. H. et al., Optical absorption red shift of capped ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles, Chinese Phys. Lett., 1998, 15(7): 535–536.
De Harrt, L. G. J., Blasse, G., Photoelectrochemical properties of ferrites with the spinel structure, J. Electrochem. Soc., 1985, 132(12): 2933–2938.
Liu, J. J., Lu, G. X., He, H. L. et al., Studies on photocatalytic activity of zinc ferrite catalysis synthesized by shock waves, Mater. Res. Bull., 1996, 31(9): 1049–1056.
Li, X. Y., Li, S. B., Lie, G. X., Characterization of nanometer-size ZnFe2O4 semiconductor catalyst and the iron catalytic activity study, J. Mol. Catal.(in Chinese), 1996, 31(3): 187–193.
Yuan, Z. H., Zhang, L. D., Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of ZnFe2O4/TiO2 nanocomposite, J. Mater. Chem., 2001, 11: 1265–1268.
Yuan, Z. H., Zhang, L. D., Influence of ZnO+Fe2O3 additives on the anatase-to-rutile transformation of nanometer TiO2 powders, Nanostru. Mater., 1998, 10(7): 1127–1133.
Sato, T., Haneda, K., Seki, M. et al., Morphology and magnetic-properties of ultrafine ZnFe2O4 particles, Appl. Phys. A, 1990, 50(1): 13–16.
Al-Ani, S. K. J., Al-Hassany, I. H. O., Al-Dahan, Z. T., The optical-properties and ac conductivity of magnesium phosphate-glasses, J. Mater. Sci., 1995, 30(14): 3720–3729.
Zhang, C. L., Li, S., Peng, Y. B., Studies on the property of oxygen-deficient ferrite MFe2O4-D, Chem. J. Chinese University (in Chinese), 1998, 19(10): 1537–1541.
Moser, J., Grätzel, M., Gallay, R., Inhibition of electron-hole recombination in substitutionally doped colloidal semiconductor crystallites, Helv. Chim. Acta, 1987, 70(6): 1596–1604.
Butler, E. C., Davis, A. P., Photocatalytic oxidation in aqueous titanium-dioxide suspensions—The influence of dissolved transition-metals, J. Photochem. Photobiol. A: Chem., 1993, 70(3): 273–283.
Schafani, A., Mozzanaga, M. N., Pichat, P., Effect of silver deposits on the photocatalytic activity of titanium-dioxide samples for the dehydrogenation or oxidation of 2-propanol, J. Photochem. Photobio. A: Chem., 1991, 59(2): 181–189.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yuan, Z., Wang, Y., Sun, Y. et al. Sunlight-activated AlFeO3/TiO2 photocatalyst. SCI CHINA SER B 49, 67–74 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-004-0106-y
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-004-0106-y