A new efficient visible-light photocatalyst made of SnO2 and cyclized polyacrylonitrile. (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Xinbao; Peng, Tianxiao; Zhang, Yongcai; Wen, Yaoting; Nan, Zhaodong
• Is Part Of: Materials research bulletin. Volume 97(2018)
• Page Start: 517
• Page End: 522
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: A. composites -- A. nanostructures -- A. semiconductors -- B. chemical synthesis -- C. catalytic properties; Materials -- Periodicals; Crystal growth -- Periodicals; Matériaux -- Périodiques; Cristaux -- Croissance -- Périodiques; Crystal growth; Materials; Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.materresbull.2017.09.055
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-5408

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: A new visible-light photocatalyst was made of SnO2 and cyclized polyacrylonitrile. This catalyst can efficiently harvest visible-light (λ > 420 nm). This catalyst showed enhanced separation and transfer of photoinduced charges. This catalyst had far higher photocatalytic activity than SnO2 in Cr(VI) reduction. The photocatalytic mechanism of this catalyst was proposed. Abstract: This work reports the synthesis and characterization of a new efficient visible-light photocatalyst comprising SnO2 nanoparticles and cyclized polyacrylonitrile (CPAN) . SnO2 /CPAN nanocomposite was synthesized through two steps: first, adsorption of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in N, N -Dimethylformamide solution by SnO2 nanoparticles to form SnO2 /PAN nanocomposite; second, cyclization of PAN in the SnO2 /PAN nanocomposite by heating at 250 °C for 2 h. The characterization by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption curves, and UV–vis diffuse reflection spectra indicated the synthesis of large surface area SnO2 /CPAN nanocomposite with remarkable visible-light-harvesting ability. SnO2 /CPAN nanocomposite exhibited exceptionally high photocatalytic activity in the reduction of aqueous Cr(VI) under visible-light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation (the reaction rate constant of photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) by SnO2 /CPAN is about 16.6 times that by SnO2 ). The possible mechanism for the high visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of SnO2 /CPAN nanocomposite was proposed.