Amorphous SnO2 decorated ZnSn(OH)6 promotes interfacial hydroxyl polarization for deep photocatalytic toluene mineralization

Lvcun Chen; Kanglu Li; Yan Yang; Ting Xue; Hong Wang; Ben Lei; Jianping Sheng; Fan Dong; Yanjuan Sun

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130436

Amorphous SnO₂ decorated ZnSn(OH)₆ promotes interfacial hydroxyl polarization for deep photocatalytic toluene mineralization

J Hazard Mater. 2023 Feb 15;444(Pt B):130436. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130436. Epub 2022 Nov 18.

Authors

Lvcun Chen¹, Kanglu Li², Yan Yang³, Ting Xue⁴, Hong Wang⁴, Ben Lei⁴, Jianping Sheng¹, Fan Dong¹, Yanjuan Sun⁵

Affiliations

¹ Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Huzhou 313000, China; Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences & School of Resouces and Environment, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China.
² Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences & School of Resouces and Environment, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
³ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China; Jieyang Branch of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Rongjiang Laboratory), Jieyang 515200, China; Synergy Innovation Institute of GDUT, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China.
⁴ Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences & School of Resouces and Environment, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China.
⁵ Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Huzhou 313000, China; Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences & School of Resouces and Environment, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China. Electronic address: syhsyj@163.com.

PMID: 36435041
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130436

Abstract

Surface hydroxyl groups play a decisive role in the generation of hydroxyl radicals with stronger oxidizing ability, which is indispensable in photocatalytic VOCs removal, especially under the condition of low humidity. In this work, non-noble amorphous SnO₂ decorated ZnSn(OH)₆ (ZSH) was synthesized by an in-situ method. The charge transport, reactant activation and hydroxyl polarization are enhanced through decoration of amorphous SnO₂ on ZSH. Combined with the designed experiment, in-situ EPR, DTF calculation and in-situ DRIFTS, the role and mechanism of interfacial hydroxyl polarization are revealed on SnO₂ decorated ZnSn(OH)₆. Compared with pristine ZSH and noble-metal modified ZSH, the toluene degradation rate of amorphous SnO₂ decorated ZSH is increased by 13.0 and 3.8 times, and the toluene mineralization rate is increased by 5.2 and 2.2 times. The ZSH-24 sample maintains a high toluene degradation activity after 6 cyclic utilization without catalyst deactivation. This work emphasizes the role of non-noble metal and the origin of hydroxyl group polarization on ZnSn(OH)₆ for photocatalytic VOCs mineralization.

Keywords: Amorphous SnO(2); Interfacial hydroxyl polarization; Photocatalysis; Toluene mineralization; ZnSn(OH)(6).