Novel visible light driven Mg–Zn–In ternary layered materials for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

• Published in: Catalysis today 2013-09, Vol.212, p.81-88
• Main Authors: Huang, Li, Chu, Sheng, Wang, Jianqiang, Kong, Fei, Luo, Leilei, Wang, Ying, Zou, Zhigang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adsorption; Catalysis; catalytic activity; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; coprecipitation; crystal structure; desorption; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; irradiation; Layer structure; LDHs; Mesoporous; methylene blue; Photocatalyst; Photochemistry; photolysis; Physical chemistry of induced reactions (with radiations, particles and ultrasonics); Porous materials; remediation; renewable energy sources; scanning electron microscopy; spectroscopy; temperature; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0920-5861; 1873-4308
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2012.08.026

[Display omitted] ► Mg–In–Zn ternary photocatalytic material possesses nano-sheet morphology, high crystallinity and hierarchy mesoporous structure. ► The isomorphous replacement of Zn2+ for Mg2+ can modify the nano-size and morphology of the ternary photocatalytic material. ► Ternary photocatalytic material demonstrates excellent photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation. ► This ternary layered photocatalytic material exhibits satisfactory re-usability. ► Strong structural “memory effect” was found on Mg–In–Zn ternary photocatalytic material even after calcined at temperature of 800°C. A novel visible driven Mg–Zn–In ternary layered photocatalytic materials were synthesized, for the first time, by the isomorphous replacement of Zn for Mg in coprecipitation system. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and N2 adsorption/desorption isothermal technique reveal that this ternary photocatalytic material possesses nano-sheet morphology and high crystallinity as well as hierarchy mesoporous structure. UV–vis spectroscopy confirms that the isomorphous replacement of Zn for Mg results in a significant red shift adsorption of the calcined Mg–Zn–In LDHs toward visible light region. The calcined Mg–Zn–In LDHs samples possess a high photocatalytic activity of 98% in degradation of an organic dye methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation, for which the possible photocatalytic mechanisms are discussed. Moreover, this ternary layered photocatalytic material exhibits satisfactory re-usability after three cycles and a strong structural “memory effect” even after calcined at temperature of 800°C. The higher photocatalysis activity under visible light irradiation and facilitate synthesis process enable this ternary layered material to be a promising candidate in utilization of renewable energy for environmental remediation.