ZnWO4 nanorod-colloidal SnO2 quantum dots core@shell heterostructures: Efficient solar-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline

Babu Bathula; Sunil Babu Eadi; Hi-Deok Lee; Kisoo Yoo

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.115851

ZnWO₄ nanorod-colloidal SnO₂ quantum dots core@shell heterostructures: Efficient solar-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline

Environ Res. 2023 Jul 1:228:115851. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115851. Epub 2023 Apr 14.

Authors

Babu Bathula¹, Sunil Babu Eadi², Hi-Deok Lee³, Kisoo Yoo⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 38541, South Korea.
² Department of Electronics Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea. Electronic address: sunil@cnu.ac.kr.
³ Department of Electronics Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea. Electronic address: hdlee@cnu.ac.kr.
⁴ School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 38541, South Korea. Electronic address: kisooyoo@yu.ac.kr.

PMID: 37062476
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115851

Abstract

Zinc tungsten oxide (ZW) and colloidal SnO₂ quantum dots (CS) were synthesized individually by hydrothermal and wet chemical methods. ZW-CS core@shell nanorods were prepared using a sonochemical method for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of tetracycline (TC) degradation. ZW-CS core@shell nanorods were systematically characterized by structural, morphological mapping and optical techniques. All characterization techniques were synchronized to confirm the construction of core@shell nanorods. Optical absorption studies indicate an increased light-capturing efficiency along with a reduced bandgap from 3.56 to 3.23 eV, which is further supported by photoluminescence. Mapping analysis from SEM and HR-TEM evidence the presence of elements as well as a core@shell nanostructure. The optimized sample of ZW-CS 1.0 shows improved photocatalytic degradation of TC under stimulated solar light. The TC degradation efficiency by ZW-CS 1.0 core@shell nanorods was about 97% within 2 h. The formation of core@shell nanorod structure might be the reason for the better photocatalytic tetracycline degradation performance.

Keywords: Core@shell; Nanorods; Photocatalysis; Quantum dots; SnO(2); Tetracycline; ZnWO(4).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Catalysis
Nanotubes* / chemistry
Quantum Dots* / chemistry
Tetracycline / chemistry
Zinc Oxide* / chemistry

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Tetracycline
Zinc Oxide