Doubling the photocatalytic performance of SnO2 by carbon coating mixed-phase particles. Issue 53 (28th August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Qingbo; Zhao, Hongkai; Sun, Honggang; Zhao, Xian; Fan, Weiliu
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 8:Issue 53(2018)
• Page Start: 30366
• Page End: 30373
• Publication Date: 2018-08-28
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c8ra03794a
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : Carbon effectively facilitated the charge transfer and separation between the tetragonal and orthorhombic nanoparticles in mixed-phase SnO2 . Abstract : In this work, carbon-coated mixed-phase (tetragonal/orthorhombic) SnO2 photocatalysts were successfully fabricated with a chemical precipitation method, followed by a facile hydrothermal process. This material exhibits the highest activity during photocatalytic methyl orange and phenol degradation, and the degradation rate constant is almost 3 times than that of pure tetragonal SnO2 . The enhancement of photocatalytic activity could be mainly attributed to the synergistic effect among tetragonal SnO2, orthorhombic SnO2 and carbon (serves as a charge transfer mediator), which was found to lead to more efficient separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. Phase junctions in mixed-phase SnO2 were beneficial to the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes and carbon further facilitated the charge transfer between tetragonal and orthorhombic SnO2 nanoparticles. This study may provide a method for other mixed-phase semiconductors with promising performance for potential applications in environmental protection.