Bi-functional photocatalytic heterostructures combining titania thin films with carbon quantum dots (C-QDs/TiO2) for effective elimination of water pollutants

Pinelopi P. Falara, Islam Ibrahim, Adamantia Zourou, Labrini Sygellou, David Emanuel Sanchez, George Em Romanos, Lida Givalou, Maria Antoniadou, Michalis K. Arfanis, Changseok Han, Mauricio Terrones, Konstantinos V. Kordatos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study, carbon quantum dots (C-QDs), prepared via hydrothermal-microwave procedures, were successfully combined with nanostructured titania (TiO2). The photocatalytic oxidation/reduction activity of the C-QDs/TiO2 composite films was evaluated in the decomposition of organic-inorganic contaminants from aqueous solutions under UV illumination. Physicochemical characterizations were applied to investigate the crystal structure of the carbon quantum dots and the composites. It was found that the prepared C-QDs/TiO2 composites had great contribution to the photocatalytic reduction of hexavalent chromium (Cr+6) species and 4-Nitrophenol (PNP) as well as to the photocatalytic oxidation of methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) dyes. The mechanism of the photocatalytic reaction was studied with trapping experiments, revealing that the electron (e) radical species were powerfully supported for the photocatalytic reduction of Cr+6 and PNP and the holes (h +) are the main active species for the photocatalytic oxidation reactions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)124976-124991
Number of pages16
JournalEnvironmental Science and Pollution Research
Volume30
Issue number60
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Pollution
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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