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This work spotlights the facile method to deposit cobalt oxide (CoOx) nanoparticles as a cocatalyst on Fe-MOF-bpdc to enhance its photocatalytic activity for water oxidation reaction (WOR) under visible light irradiation to evolve gaseous O2. Due to the soft conditions needed for the process developed, the framework structure of Fe-MOF-bpdc was maintained even after the deposition of CoOx. The optimized CoOx@Fe-MOF-bpdc composite showed enhanced activity towards visible-light-driven WOR as compared to pristine Fe-MOF-bpdc, the amount of evolved O2 being increased by about 2 times at the maximum with CoOx loading of 2 wt% as Co metal. Investigations on the wavelength dependence of visible-light-driven WOR on CoOx@Fe-MOF-bpdc revealed that the direct photo-excitation of Fe-oxo clusters within Fe-MOF-bpdc plays an important role to initiate the reaction. Furthermore, it was found that the rate of 2-propanol oxidation reaction, which is a typical two-electron oxidation reaction, was hardly affected by CoOx deposition, suggesting that CoOx acts as a unique hole trapping site and more preferentially catalyse the four-electron oxidation reactions like WOR than the two-electron oxidation reaction.

This work spotlights the recently discovered photoelectrocatalytic properties of iron-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for water oxidation reaction (WOR) under visible light irradiation. The low efficiency of WOR is one of the biggest difficulties faced by photoelectrochemical solar energy conversion; the development of new photoanodes for WOR is greatly desired. In view of the fact that a higher efficiency for WOR was forecast thanks to the peculiar properties of MOFs, such as a highly ordered framework and homogenous porous structure, the photoelectrodes based on MIL-101(Fe) containing photo-active iron(III) clusters have been fabricated by using a drop-casting method and applied to photoelectrochemical water oxidation as photoanodes. XRD measurements revealed the successful formation of MIL-101(Fe) electrodes while retaining their framework structures. From the results of photoelectrochemical measurements, the optimal thickness of the MIL-101(Fe) electrodes was determined to be ca. 60 μm, and the optimized MIL-101(Fe) electrode was found to promote photoelectrochemical WOR under visible light irradiation more efficiently than conventional α-Fe2O3 electrodes. Moreover, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements demonstrated a lower resistance of charge transfer at the interface between the MOF surface and the electrolyte, resulting in better photoelectrochemical performance of the MIL-101(Fe) electrode.

A comparative study was carried out on the photocatalytic properties depending on Jodifferent morphologies of Ag3PO4 fabricated by different methods, i.e. as precipitated, oil bath heat treatment, hydrothermal, and microwave-assisted hydrothermal. The crystal structures of the prepared samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The different morphologies of Ag3PO4 synthesized by different methods were observed from SEM micrographs. The micrographs show that the as-precipitated Ag3PO4 sample has smaller grain morphology whereas samples synthesized by other methods have distinct large-grain morphologies. Sharp-edged rhombic dodecahedron, cubic and polyhedral Ag3PO4 crystals were observed that were synthesized by microwave-assisted hydrothermal and hydrothermal methods. However, sharp-edged polyhedral Ag3PO4 crystals were not observed from the oil bath heat-treatment method. The optical properties of the different samples were measured by using UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The samples fabricated by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal process showed better photocatalytic decoloring of methylene blue than those prepared by the hydrothermal and oil bath heat-treatment methods.

Co-doped BiVO4, a visible-light-responsive photocatalytic semiconductor, was synthesized using a microwave hydrothermal method. The doped sample exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity for malachite green degradation under visible light irradiation than undoped BiVO4. Similarly, improved inactivation efficiency toward Escherichia coli and Chlamydomonas pulsatilla (green tide) were observed with Co-doped BiVO4. The degradation of malachite green by Co-doped BiVO4 reaches 99% within 90 min irradiation to visible light. Similarly, the inactivation of Escherichia coli reaches 81.3% in 5 h and Chlamydomonas pulsatilla reaches 65.6% in 1 h irradiation to visible light. The enhanced photoactivity is believed to be due to the increment of the visible light absorption range by narrowing the band gap energy. In addition, the highly exposed reactive (010) facets can efficiently capture the photoinduced electrons, promote charge separation, and reduce recombination probability. Thus, these findings provide mechanistic insight into the effectiveness of Co-doped BiVO4 semiconductors for the treatment of wastewater that contains industrial effluents and microorganisms.

Even though it is a potential visible-light responsive photocatalyst, the application of BiFeO3 (BFO) is restricted because of the presence of residual impurities in the synthesis process. To alleviate this problem, in this work, BiFeO3 was synthesized by the sonochemical method and calcined at different temperatures. Morphologies and phases of the samples were evaluated by using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS) was used to analyze the absorption properties. The photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated via the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine-B (RhB) aqueous solution under simulated solar light irradiation. The results revealed that the phase transformation from amorphous to crystalline phase has occurred during heat treatment. The formation of pure BFO occurred only at about 600 °C, indicating the importance of heat treatment during the synthesis process. On the other hand, the decolorization of RhB solution was completed by pure BFO photocatalyst within 1 h of simulated solar light irradiation.

TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs) were successfully synthesized from different alkaline media (i.e., NaOH and KOH) by using a microwave hydrothermal process. The effects of different alkaline media on the formation of TiO2 nanotubes and their physicochemical properties were investigated. The phases of different TiO2 nanostructures were studied by using X-ray diffraction patterns. Morphologies of the nanostructures were observed with a transmission electron microscope. The optical properties of the nanostructures were evaluated through the absorption behavior using UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activities of the TiO2 nanostructures were evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue aqueous dye solution under the simulated solar light irradiation. Similarly, the photovoltaic efficiencies of the prepared samples were investigated by making photo-anode layers in the Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs). The results revealed that in comparison to the single layered TiO2 nanostructures in the DSSC, creation of a double layer structure significantly enhanced the efficiency of DSSC.

Fe–TiO2–SiC composite with photocatalytic activity has been synthesized by a low cost sonochemical process in the presence of citric acid. The addition of citric acid during the sonochemical process allows the formation of a photocatalytic coating of Fe–TiO2 onto silicon carbide. Experimental characterization results indicate that the composite was formed over all the surface of the silicon carbide (SiC) with an anatase crystalline TiO2 phase with iron incorporation. The incorporation of iron narrows the band gap of TiO2 which allow the absorbtion of light with a large wavelength. The obtained Fe–TiO2–SiC composite exhibits good enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B under solar simulator irradiation in comparison with the commercial TiO2–P25.

It was found that the photoelectrochemical performance and photocatalytic activity of rod-type TiO2 electrodes were affected by various post-calcination treatments, for example, calcination in NH3 or under vacuum. Post-calcination treatment in NH3 at 773 K was particularly effective in increasing the photoelectrochemical performance and photocatalytic activity of rod-type TiO2 electrodes. A unique photoelectrochemical circuit was constructed by connecting a rod-type TiO2 electrode to a Pt electrode through a silicon solar cell in which the negative bias was applied on the rod-type TiO2 electrode. It was found that the photoelectrochemical circuit can effectively oxidize ethanethiol in water into CO2.

Visible light-responsive TiO2 thin film photocatalysts (Vis-TiO2) have been prepared on Ti metal foil (Vis-TiO2/Ti) or ITO glass (Vis-TiO2/ITO) substrates by a radio-frequency magnetron sputtering (RF-MS) method. The UV–Vis spectra as well as photoelectrochemical performance of Vis-TiO2 were affected by various calcination treatments such as calcination in air or NH3. Calcination treatment in NH3 (1.0 × 104 Pa, 673 K) was particularly effective in increasing the visible light absorption of Vis-TiO2 as well as in enhancing its photoelectrochemical performance and photocatalytic activity. A novel Vis-TiO2 thin film photocatalyst (Vis-TiO2/Ti/Pt) was prepared by an RF-MS method where Vis-TiO2 was deposited on one side of a Ti metal foil substrate and nanoparticles of Pt were deposited on the other side. The separate evolution of H2 and O2 from H2O could be successfully achieved by using an H-type glass cell consisting of two aqueous phases separated by Vis-TiO2/Ti/Pt and a proton-exchange membrane. It was found that the rate of the separate evolution of H2 and O2 was also dramatically enhanced by calcination treatment of Vis-TiO2 in NH3.

A unique photoelectrochemical circuit system was constructed by connecting a rod-type TiO2 electrode with a Pt electrode through a silicon solar cell. The photoelectrochemical circuit system efficiently oxidized ethanethiol in water into CO2, while the reaction rate strongly depended on the calcination temperature of the rod-type TiO2 electrode. Furthermore, it was found that a negative bias applied to the rod-type TiO2 electrode by a silicon solar cell enhances the oxidation rate of ethanethiol in water.