Construction of an S-Scheme Ag2MoO4/ZnFe2O4 Nanofiber Heterojunction for Enhanced Photoelectrocatalytic Activity under Visible Light Irradiation

Langmuir. 2022 Nov 8;38(44):13437-13447. doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01881. Epub 2022 Oct 26.

Abstract

The removal of organic dyes and pathogenic bacteria from contaminated water remains a significant challenge. In the present study, S-type heterojunction Ag2MoO4/ZnFe2O4 (AMO/ZFO) composite nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning and co-precipitation and fabricated into photoanodes. It is found that the constructed S-type heterojunction of AMO/ZFO composites effectively inhibits the recombination of photogenerated carriers, in addition to the benefits of more exposed active sites and a greater specific surface area. When several properties are improved, AMO/ZFO composites exhibit excellent photoelectrocatalytic performance. The results demonstrate that under visible light irradiation, the photoelectrocatalytic degradation rate of AMO/ZFO-3 to methylene blue reached 76.2% within 50 min, and the killing rate of Salmonella was 83.6% within 80 min. The enhanced photoelectrocatalytic activity was due to the synergy of both electrochemical and photocatalytic effects. More importantly, after four testing cycles, AMO/ZFO-3 still has a better ability to kill pathogenic bacteria and degrade organic dyes due to its high stability. This work provides a feasible method for oxidizing organic dyes and pathogenic bacteria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Catalysis
  • Coloring Agents / chemistry
  • Light
  • Methylene Blue
  • Nanofibers*

Substances

  • Coloring Agents
  • Methylene Blue