Issue 20, 2015

A unique Z-scheme 2D/2D nanosheet heterojunction design to harness charge transfer for photocatalysis

Abstract

Heterojunction photocatalysts could provide a potential strategy to solve the serious energy and environmental crises. However, the required heterojunction photocatalyts with high charge-separation efficiency and strong redox ability, which have unique dimensionality-dependent integrative and synergic effects, are intriguing but still underdeveloped. Here, for the first time, we design and fabricate 2D/2D heterojunctions between carbon nitride nanosheets and oxygen-vacancies confined in bismuth titanate mesoporous nanosheets. Especially, selective pollutant transformation of rhodamine B and 4-chlorophenol solutions under visible-light irradiation has been conducted by the use of 2D/2D heterojunction photocatalysts. Based on the steady-state and transient photoluminescence spectra and electron spin resonance technology, the Z-scheme energy-transfer mechanism is identified and the photogenerated charge carriers in the 2D/2D heterojunctions display a prolonged lifetime and higher separation compared to those in carbon nitride and bismuth titanate alone. This work will shed light on the rational design of more complex 2D/2D heterojunctions with accompanying applications in solar energy conversion and environmental remediation fields.

Graphical abstract: A unique Z-scheme 2D/2D nanosheet heterojunction design to harness charge transfer for photocatalysis

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 Mar 2015
Accepted
14 Apr 2015
First published
15 Apr 2015

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015,3, 11006-11013

Author version available

A unique Z-scheme 2D/2D nanosheet heterojunction design to harness charge transfer for photocatalysis

H. Cheng, J. Hou, O. Takeda, X. Guo and H. Zhu, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015, 3, 11006 DOI: 10.1039/C5TA01864A

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