Visible-light-driven removal of atrazine by durable hollow core-shell TiO2@LaFeO3 heterojunction coupling with peroxymonosulfate via enhanced electron-transfer

• Published in: Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Environmental, 2022-04, Vol.303, p.120889, Article 120889
• Main Authors: Wei, Kexin, Armutlulu, Andac, Wang, Yinxu, Yao, Gang, Xie, Ruzhen, Lai, Bo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atrazine; Charge transfer; Current carriers; Electric fields; Electrons; Ferrites; Herbicides; Heterojunctions; Lanthanum compounds; Leaching; Metal ions; Nanospheres; Oxidants; Oxidizing agents; Perovskite; Photocatalysis; Photocatalyst; PMS, AOPs; Reactive oxidation species; Separation; Sol-gel processes; Solar energy; Synergistic effect; Titanium dioxide; Water purification
• ISSN: 0926-3373; 1873-3883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120889

Insufficient charge-carriers separation and deteriorated recycling are still bottlenecks limiting practical photocatalytic water purification. Herein, we developed a durable hollow core-shell TiO2@LaFeO3 (TLFO) nanosphere via facile carbon-sphere-templated method and sol-gel process, and applied it as heterojunction photocatalyst coupled with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for efficient atrazine (ATZ) removal via enhanced electron-transfer. The built-in electric field originated from the three-dimensional heterojunction between TiO2 and LaFeO3, acting as charge transfer driving force, enhanced the charge separation rate. Meanwhile, PMS could function as electron acceptor to boost photogenerated charge separation and maximize reactive oxidant species (e.g., •OH, SO4•−, O2•− and 1O2) production. Therefore, the fabricated TLFO heterojunction exhibited outstanding reusability, and superior ATZ removal efficiency without detectable metal ion leaching. This work successfully demonstrates the synergistic effect and superior hollow structure of TLFO heterojunction with promoted light utilization and PMS activation, which offers potential application for efficient abating environmental pollution using solar energy. [Display omitted] •A novel three-dimensional heterojunction TLFO was developed via a facile method.•The built-in electric field acts as driving force to improve electron transfer.•PMS addition further enhances charge separation rate, therefore maximum ROS production.•TLFO heterojunction shows long-term durability and maximum water treatment efficiency via synergistic effect.•TLFO exhibits 25-fold higher performance in ATZ removal than pure LFO, without metal ion leaching.