Fabrication of a three-dimensional visible-light-driven Ag–AgBr/TiO2/graphene aerogel composite for enhanced photocatalytic destruction of organic dyes and bacteria. (8th March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Mingjing; Chen, Yuexing; Chen, Bangjie; Zhang, Yunsong; Lin, Li; Han, Xiaowen; Zou, Ping; Wang, Guangtu; Zeng, Jun; Zhao, Maojun
• Is Part Of: New journal of chemistry. Volume 43:Number 13(2019)
• Page Start: 5088
• Page End: 5098
• Publication Date: 2019-03-08
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; Chimie -- Périodiques; 540
• DOI: 10.1039/c8nj06057f
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1144-0546

Abstract

Abstract : The configuration of Ag–AgBr/TiO2 /GA integrated critical components of solar absorption and charge separation for environmental remediation and antibacterial treatment. Abstract : A novel three-dimensional (3D) porous Ag–AgBr/TiO2 /graphene aerogel (Ag–AgBr/TiO2 /GA) photocatalyst has been fabricated successfully through a facile hydrothermal and freeze-drying treatment. The obtained Ag–AgBr/TiO2 /GA is beneficial to carrier migration, mass transport and re-utilization in wastewater treatment in virtue of its 3D macroscopically porous structure with high conductivity. Additionally, the in situ grown TiO2 nanocrystals and the well-dispersed AgBr nanoparticles in the GA support act as efficient heterojunctions, which significantly promote light absorption and charge separation efficiency. In view of the structural and functional advantages, the as-prepared Ag–AgBr/TiO2 /GA exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for methyl orange (MO), approximately 94.57% within 30 min under visible light irradiation, which was about 12.36 and 4.09 times higher than those of TiO2 and TiO2 /GA under the identical conditions. Moreover, Ag–AgBr/TiO2 /GA possessed superior long-term stability/reusability and its removal efficiency could be 94.06% even after eight degradation processes. Meanwhile, Ag–AgBr/TiO2 /GA showed remarkable sterilization of E. coli (approximately 7 log inactivation) and S. aureus (approximately 3.8 log inactivation) under 42 min visible light irradiation, and the excellent disinfection effect on E. coli has remained after three applications.