The steel industry produces many byproducts, requiring extensive land for storage and causing significant environmental contamination. Industrial effluents discharged into water bodies negatively impact both aquatic e...The steel industry produces many byproducts, requiring extensive land for storage and causing significant environmental contamination. Industrial effluents discharged into water bodies negatively impact both aquatic ecosystems and human health. To solve this problem, this study synthesized a composite of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and steel slag nanocomposites (SSNC) at a 1:2 mass ratio to create a robust photocatalyst for the treatment of synthetic wastewater. The efficacy of this catalyst in degrading various dye pollutants, including methylene blue (MB), was tested under simulated solar light conditions. Comprehensive analyses were conducted to assess the physical and chemical characteristics, crystalline structure, energy gap, and point of zero charge of the composite. The TiO2-SSNC composite catalyst exhibited excellent stability, with a point of zero charge at 8.342 and an energy gap of 2.4 eV. The degradation process conformed to pseudo-first-order kinetics. Optimization of operational parameters was achieved through the response surface methodology. Reusability tests demonstrated that the TiO2-SSNC composite catalyst effectively degraded up to 93.41% of MB in the suspended mode and 92.03% in the coated mode after five cycles. Additionally, the degradation efficiencies for various dyes were significant, highlighting the potential of the composite for broad applications in industrial wastewater treatment. This study also explored the degradation mechanisms and identified byproducts, establishing a pathway for contaminant breakdown. The cost-benefit analysis revealed a total cost of 0.842 8 USD per cubic meter for each treatment activity, indicating low operational and production costs. These findings underscore the promise of the TiO2-SSNC composite as a cost-effective and efficient alternative for wastewater purification.展开更多
Synergistic interplays involving multiple active centers originating from TiO2 nanotube layers(TNT)and ruthenium(Ru)species comprising of both single atoms(SAs)and nanoparticles(NPs)augment the alkaline hydrogen evolu...Synergistic interplays involving multiple active centers originating from TiO2 nanotube layers(TNT)and ruthenium(Ru)species comprising of both single atoms(SAs)and nanoparticles(NPs)augment the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)by enhancing Volmer kinetics from rapid water dissociation and improving Tafel kinetics from efficient H*desorption.Atomic layer deposition of Ru with 50 process cycles results in a mixture of Ru SAs and 2.8-0.4 nm NPs present on TNT layers,and it emerges with the highest HER activity among all the electrodes synthesized.A detailed study of the Ti and Ru species using different high-resolution techniques confirmed the presence of Ti^(3+)states and the coexistence of Ru SAs and NPs.With insights from literature,the role of Ti^(3+),appropriate work functions of TNT layers and Ru,and the synergistic effect of Ru SAs and Ru NPs in improving the performance of alkaline HER were elaborated and justified.The aforementioned characteristics led to a remarkable performance by having 9mV onset potentials and 33 mV dec^(-1) of Tafel slopes and a higher turnover frequency of 1.72 H2 s^(-1) at 30 mV.Besides,a notable stability from 28 h staircase chronopotentiometric measurements for TNT@Ru surpasses TNT@Pt in comparison.展开更多
To achieve efficient photocatalytic H_(2) generation from water using earth-abundant and cost-effective materials,a simple synthesis method for carbon-doped CdS particles wrapped with graphene(C-doped CdS@G)is reporte...To achieve efficient photocatalytic H_(2) generation from water using earth-abundant and cost-effective materials,a simple synthesis method for carbon-doped CdS particles wrapped with graphene(C-doped CdS@G)is reported.The doping effect and the application of graphene as cocatalyst for CdS is studied for photocatalytic H_(2) generation.The most active sample consists of CdS and graphene(CdS-0.15G)exhibits promising photocatalytic activity,producing 3.12 mmol g^-(1) h^-(1) of H_(2) under simulated solar light which is^4.6 times superior than pure CdS nanoparticles giving an apparent quantum efficiency(AQY)of 11.7%.The enhanced photocatalytic activity for H_(2) generation is associated to the narrowing of the bandgap,enhanced light absorption,fast interfacial charge transfer,and higher carrier density(N_(D))in C-doped CdS@G samples.This is achieved by C doping in CdS nanoparticles and the formation of a graphene shell over the C-doped CdS nanoparticles.After stability test,the spent catalysts sample was also characterized to investigate the nanostructure.展开更多
The transparent C-doped TiO2 nanostructure films were fabricated on the silicate glass substrates by sol-gel spin-coated method. The as-prepared films were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron...The transparent C-doped TiO2 nanostructure films were fabricated on the silicate glass substrates by sol-gel spin-coated method. The as-prepared films were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, UV-visible absorption spectra （UV-vis） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated via the photocatalytic oxidation of methylene blue in aqueous under daylight irradiation at room temperature. The results show that the daylight-induced photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared films are improved by the C-doping. The calcination temperatures significantly affect the morphology, microstructure and photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples. At 723 K, the C-doped TiO2 films exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity due to the synergetic effects of good crystallization, appropriate oxygen vacancies and strong absorption in the near UV and visible-light region.展开更多
We elucidate the importance of a capping layer on the structural evolution and phase change properties of carbondoped Ge2 Sb2 Te5（C-GST） films during heating in air. Both the C-GST films without and with a thin SiO2...We elucidate the importance of a capping layer on the structural evolution and phase change properties of carbondoped Ge2 Sb2 Te5（C-GST） films during heating in air. Both the C-GST films without and with a thin SiO2 capping layer（C-GST and C-GST/SiO2） are deposited for comparison. Large differences are observed between C-GST and C-GST/SiO2 films in resistance-temperature, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,Raman spectra, data retention capability and optical band gap measurements. In the C-GST film, resistancetemperature measurement reveals an unusual smooth decrease in resistance above 110℃ during heating. Xray diffraction result has excluded the possibility of phase change in the C-GST film below 170℃. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy experimental result reveals the evolution of Te chemical valence because of the carbon oxidation during heating. Raman spectra further demonstrate that phase changes from an amorphous state to the hexagonal state occur directly during heating in the C-GST film. The quite smooth decrease in resistance is believed to be related with the formation of Te-rich GeTe4-n Gen（n = 0, 1） units above 110℃ in the C-GST film. The oxidation of carbon is harmful to the C-GST phase change properties.展开更多
基金supported by the Department of Chemical and Petrochemical Engineering,Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology.
文摘The steel industry produces many byproducts, requiring extensive land for storage and causing significant environmental contamination. Industrial effluents discharged into water bodies negatively impact both aquatic ecosystems and human health. To solve this problem, this study synthesized a composite of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and steel slag nanocomposites (SSNC) at a 1:2 mass ratio to create a robust photocatalyst for the treatment of synthetic wastewater. The efficacy of this catalyst in degrading various dye pollutants, including methylene blue (MB), was tested under simulated solar light conditions. Comprehensive analyses were conducted to assess the physical and chemical characteristics, crystalline structure, energy gap, and point of zero charge of the composite. The TiO2-SSNC composite catalyst exhibited excellent stability, with a point of zero charge at 8.342 and an energy gap of 2.4 eV. The degradation process conformed to pseudo-first-order kinetics. Optimization of operational parameters was achieved through the response surface methodology. Reusability tests demonstrated that the TiO2-SSNC composite catalyst effectively degraded up to 93.41% of MB in the suspended mode and 92.03% in the coated mode after five cycles. Additionally, the degradation efficiencies for various dyes were significant, highlighting the potential of the composite for broad applications in industrial wastewater treatment. This study also explored the degradation mechanisms and identified byproducts, establishing a pathway for contaminant breakdown. The cost-benefit analysis revealed a total cost of 0.842 8 USD per cubic meter for each treatment activity, indicating low operational and production costs. These findings underscore the promise of the TiO2-SSNC composite as a cost-effective and efficient alternative for wastewater purification.
基金support from the European Union Horizon 2020 program(project HERMES,nr.952184)the Ministry of Education,Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic for supporting CEMNAT(LM2023037)+1 种基金Czech-NanoLab(LM2023051)infrastructures for providing ALD,SEM,EDX,XPS,TEM,and XRDCzech Science Foundation(project 23-08019X,EXPRO).
文摘Synergistic interplays involving multiple active centers originating from TiO2 nanotube layers(TNT)and ruthenium(Ru)species comprising of both single atoms(SAs)and nanoparticles(NPs)augment the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)by enhancing Volmer kinetics from rapid water dissociation and improving Tafel kinetics from efficient H*desorption.Atomic layer deposition of Ru with 50 process cycles results in a mixture of Ru SAs and 2.8-0.4 nm NPs present on TNT layers,and it emerges with the highest HER activity among all the electrodes synthesized.A detailed study of the Ti and Ru species using different high-resolution techniques confirmed the presence of Ti^(3+)states and the coexistence of Ru SAs and NPs.With insights from literature,the role of Ti^(3+),appropriate work functions of TNT layers and Ru,and the synergistic effect of Ru SAs and Ru NPs in improving the performance of alkaline HER were elaborated and justified.The aforementioned characteristics led to a remarkable performance by having 9mV onset potentials and 33 mV dec^(-1) of Tafel slopes and a higher turnover frequency of 1.72 H2 s^(-1) at 30 mV.Besides,a notable stability from 28 h staircase chronopotentiometric measurements for TNT@Ru surpasses TNT@Pt in comparison.
基金support from the Research Council of Norway provided by the Norwegian Center for Transmission Electron Microscopy,NORTEM(197405/F50)NTNU NanoLab(grant number 245963)which have provided the characterization toolsthe strategic funding support provided by Department of Chemical Engineering,NTNU,Trondheim,Norway.
文摘To achieve efficient photocatalytic H_(2) generation from water using earth-abundant and cost-effective materials,a simple synthesis method for carbon-doped CdS particles wrapped with graphene(C-doped CdS@G)is reported.The doping effect and the application of graphene as cocatalyst for CdS is studied for photocatalytic H_(2) generation.The most active sample consists of CdS and graphene(CdS-0.15G)exhibits promising photocatalytic activity,producing 3.12 mmol g^-(1) h^-(1) of H_(2) under simulated solar light which is^4.6 times superior than pure CdS nanoparticles giving an apparent quantum efficiency(AQY)of 11.7%.The enhanced photocatalytic activity for H_(2) generation is associated to the narrowing of the bandgap,enhanced light absorption,fast interfacial charge transfer,and higher carrier density(N_(D))in C-doped CdS@G samples.This is achieved by C doping in CdS nanoparticles and the formation of a graphene shell over the C-doped CdS nanoparticles.After stability test,the spent catalysts sample was also characterized to investigate the nanostructure.
基金Funded by Shan Xi Research Fund for Returned Scholars (No.2007-25)Shan Xi Open Fund for Key Laboratory(No.2008012013-7)The Specialized Fund for The Innovative of College Students of Tai Yuan City(No.09122018)
文摘The transparent C-doped TiO2 nanostructure films were fabricated on the silicate glass substrates by sol-gel spin-coated method. The as-prepared films were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, UV-visible absorption spectra （UV-vis） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated via the photocatalytic oxidation of methylene blue in aqueous under daylight irradiation at room temperature. The results show that the daylight-induced photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared films are improved by the C-doping. The calcination temperatures significantly affect the morphology, microstructure and photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples. At 723 K, the C-doped TiO2 films exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity due to the synergetic effects of good crystallization, appropriate oxygen vacancies and strong absorption in the near UV and visible-light region.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No 11704161the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province under Grant Nos BK20170309 and BK20151172the Changzhou Science and Technology Bureau under Grant Nos CJ20159049 and CJ20160028
文摘We elucidate the importance of a capping layer on the structural evolution and phase change properties of carbondoped Ge2 Sb2 Te5（C-GST） films during heating in air. Both the C-GST films without and with a thin SiO2 capping layer（C-GST and C-GST/SiO2） are deposited for comparison. Large differences are observed between C-GST and C-GST/SiO2 films in resistance-temperature, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,Raman spectra, data retention capability and optical band gap measurements. In the C-GST film, resistancetemperature measurement reveals an unusual smooth decrease in resistance above 110℃ during heating. Xray diffraction result has excluded the possibility of phase change in the C-GST film below 170℃. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy experimental result reveals the evolution of Te chemical valence because of the carbon oxidation during heating. Raman spectra further demonstrate that phase changes from an amorphous state to the hexagonal state occur directly during heating in the C-GST film. The quite smooth decrease in resistance is believed to be related with the formation of Te-rich GeTe4-n Gen（n = 0, 1） units above 110℃ in the C-GST film. The oxidation of carbon is harmful to the C-GST phase change properties.
