Flower-like BiOBr/UiO-66-NH2 nanosphere with improved photocatalytic property for norfloxacin removal

Chemosphere. 2019 Apr:220:98-106. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.12.086. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Abstract

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted widespread concerns in the photocatalysis research. However, MOFs-based photocatalyts for antibiotics treatment are still very limited. There are also few reports on selecting MOFs as supports to regulate the morphology of Bismuthoxyhalides. In this study, BiOBr/UiO-66-NH2 composites with three-dimensional structure of flower-like nanosphere were fabricated via a facile synthetic route. Various characterizations, such as XRD, SEM and XPS, proved the successful synthesis of composite and revealed that BiOBr nanoplates grow on the surfaces of the UiO-66-NH2 with an intimate interaction. A typical fluoroquinolones antibiotics, norfloxacin (NOR) was selected to estimate the photocatalytic efficiency of the BiOBr/UiO-66-NH2 complex. A series of the composites all exhibited higher NOR removal performance than the pure components and mechanically mixed sample under simulated sunlight. Among them, the composite with UiO-66-NH2 content of 20 w% (BUN-20), had good structural stability and the best performance on the removal of NOR. The removal efficiency of NOR (10 mg/L) over BUN-20 (0.3 g/L) was 93.60% within 180 min irradiation. Three factors during the fabricating process, such as increased surface active sites, improved photoadsorption capacity and lower recombination probability of electron-hole pair might be accountable for the meliorative photocatalytic performance. Ultimately, a plausible photocatalytic mechanism was also proposed.

Keywords: BiOBr; Metal-organic framework; Norfloxacin; Photocatalysis; UiO-66-NH(2).

MeSH terms

  • Bismuth / chemistry*
  • Catalysis / radiation effects
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks / chemistry*
  • Nanospheres / chemistry
  • Norfloxacin / chemistry*
  • Organometallic Compounds / chemistry
  • Sunlight

Substances

  • Metal-Organic Frameworks
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Norfloxacin
  • bismuth oxybromide
  • Bismuth