In-situ synthesis of dual Z-scheme heterojunctions of cuprous oxide/layered double hydroxides/nitrogen-rich graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic sterilization

Xin Zhang; Jie Zhang; Longyu Qiu; Xiao Lan; Chenxi Zhu; Jiao Duan; Yequn Liu; Haibo Li; Yongsheng Yu; Weiwei Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2022.04.015

In-situ synthesis of dual Z-scheme heterojunctions of cuprous oxide/layered double hydroxides/nitrogen-rich graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic sterilization

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2022 Aug 15:620:313-321. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.04.015. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Authors

Xin Zhang¹, Jie Zhang², Longyu Qiu³, Xiao Lan², Chenxi Zhu³, Jiao Duan², Yequn Liu⁴, Haibo Li⁵, Yongsheng Yu⁶, Weiwei Yang⁷

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal University, Changchun, Jilin 130103, China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China.
² Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Corrosion and Bio-fouling, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China.
³ MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China.
⁴ Analytical Instrumentation Center, State Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal University, Changchun, Jilin 130103, China.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal University, Changchun, Jilin 130103, China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China. Electronic address: yuyongsheng@jlnu.edu.cn.
⁷ MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China. Electronic address: yangww@hit.edu.cn.

PMID: 35429709
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.04.015

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) with sufficiently positive valence bands and negative conduction bands are promising materials for producing superoxide radicals (·O^2-) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH) for photocatalytic sterilization; however, their relatively wide bandgaps limit the utilization of light in photocatalysis. Herein, the electronegative N-CN nanosheets were used to adsorb Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Al³⁺ cations in situ to form uniformly distributed LDHs nanosheets. Then, the LDHs on LDHs/N-CN composites were partially reduced in situ into ultrafine Cu₂O to harvest sufficient solar energy. Zeta potential measurements revealed that the constructed Cu₂O/LDHs/N-CN composites and bacterial solution exhibited opposite charges, which induced strong electrostatic adsorption in photocatalytic sterilization. Under visible light, the highly hydrophilic 0D/2D/2D Cu₂O/LDHs/N-CN heterojunctions exhibited the highest sterilization rate of 98.96% toward Escherichia coli without an obvious decrease after 4 cycles. It was experimentally and theoretically confirmed that a dual Z-scheme charge migration path in the Cu₂O/LDHs/N-CN heterojunction was achieved, harnessing the full synergetic potential of the combined system. This work provides an effective method for synthesizing a robust, hydrophilic and positively charged heterojunction to further improve photocatalytic sterilization activity.

Keywords: Cu(2)O/LDHs/N-CN; Dual Z-scheme; Electrostatic adsorption; Photocatalytic sterilization.

MeSH terms

Catalysis
Copper
Escherichia coli
Graphite
Hydroxides*
Nitrogen Compounds
Nitrogen*
Sterilization

Substances

Hydroxides
Nitrogen Compounds
graphitic carbon nitride
Graphite
Copper
Nitrogen
cuprous oxide