Work function mediated interface charge kinetics for boosting photocatalytic water sterilization

Zhaoli Liu; Wenzhe Gao; Lizhi Liu; Shijia Luo; Cui Zhang; Tianli Yue; Jing Sun; MingQiang Zhu; Jianlong Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130036

Work function mediated interface charge kinetics for boosting photocatalytic water sterilization

J Hazard Mater. 2023 Jan 15:442:130036. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130036. Epub 2022 Sep 20.

Authors

Zhaoli Liu¹, Wenzhe Gao¹, Lizhi Liu², Shijia Luo¹, Cui Zhang¹, Tianli Yue¹, Jing Sun³, MingQiang Zhu⁴, Jianlong Wang⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, 28 Xinong Road, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.
² Department of Applied Physics, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland.
³ Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Biological Resources, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai 810008, China.
⁴ College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
⁵ College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, 28 Xinong Road, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: wanglong79@nwsuaf.edu.cn.

PMID: 36155302
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130036

Abstract

Photocatalytic sterilization is an eco-friendly strategy to utilize solar energy for treating water contaminated with resistant bacteria. Here, we propose interface engineering to induce an internal electric field (IEF) in leaf-like Ti₃C₂Tx/TiO₂ based on the work function (Φ) theory, which enhances photocatalytic sterilization performance by steering interface charge kinetics. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and in situ irradiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ISI-XPS) results show that photogenerated charge carriers can be directionally separated by the IEF. The efficient charge kinetics benefits the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and hence a superior broad-spectrum sterilization performance. We employ the intrinsic physical characteristics of MXene to steer interface charge kinetics for photocatalysis, which exhibits great potential in water disinfection.

Keywords: Interface charge kinetics; MXene; Photocatalytic water disinfection; Sustainable photocatalyst; Work function.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Catalysis
Disinfection
Kinetics
Light*
Reactive Oxygen Species / chemistry
Water* / chemistry

Substances

Water
Reactive Oxygen Species