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Effect of Co-catalyst (CuO, CoO or NiO) on Bi2O3–TiO2 Structures and Its Impact on the Photocatalytic Reduction of 4-nitrophenol

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Abstract

CoO, NiO or CuO oxides were employed as co-catalysts on Bi2O3–TiO2 (BT) structure in the photocatalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol under UV light irradiation. The intimate contact between the co-catalysts and base material contributed to an enhancement in the photocatalytic activity due to the formation of the p-n heterojunction that effectively separates charge carriers. CuO–BT, NiO–BT and Co–BT showed a reduction of 4-nitrophenol of 83%, 59% and 52% after 60 min under illumination, respectively, which are higher than that obtained with the BT semiconductor. The co-catalysts increase the donor density favoring the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. The donor density calculated for CuO–BT, NiO–BT and Co–BT was of Nd = 15.5 × 1018 cm−3, Nd = 12.4 × 1018 cm−3 and Nd = 9.41 × 1018 cm−3, respectively. The results were associated to that CuO and NiO oxides are considered as reduction co-catalysts while CoO oxide is used as oxidation co-catalyst.

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Acknowledgements

We thank CONACyT for financial support granted through the project CB-2015-01 256410 Synthesis of hybrid Materials. Materials for Alternative energies. SEP-Profides 2018, UANL-UAM.CB-2015-01 256410. Work at the Molecular Foundry was supported by the Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. We also thank to the Laboratorio Universitario de Caracterización Espectroscópica (LUCE-UNAM) and Laboratorio Universitario de Nanotecnología Ambiental (LUNA-UNAM) as well as V. Maturano and S. Islas for technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CONACyT- Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Departamento de Química, Av. San Rafael Atlixco 156, C. P. 09340, Mexico, Mexico

    Diana Guerrero-Araque

  2. Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, México city, Mexico

    David Ramírez-Ortega

  3. Instituto Politecnico Nacional, ESFM-Departamento de Física, UPALM Ed. 9, 07338, Mexico, Mexico

    Héctor A. Calderon

  4. Instituto de Ciencias Aplicadas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico, Mexico

    José M. Saniger

  5. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Departamento de Química, Av. San Rafael Atlixco 156, C. P. 09340, Mexico, Mexico

    Ricardo Gómez

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  1. Diana Guerrero-Araque
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Guerrero-Araque, D., Ramírez-Ortega, D., Calderon, H.A. et al. Effect of Co-catalyst (CuO, CoO or NiO) on Bi2O3–TiO2 Structures and Its Impact on the Photocatalytic Reduction of 4-nitrophenol. Top Catal 64, 112–120 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-020-01335-7

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