Nanosponge-C3N4 composites with improved photocatalytic activity for selective partial alcohol oxidation in aqueous suspension

Composites of C3N4 with nanosponges based on β-cyclodextrins containing a 5% w/w of C3N4 were synthesised, physicochemicaly characterised and tested as heterogeneous photocatalysts for the degradation of 4-nitrophenol and for the partial oxidation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural and veratryl alcohol. The results outline a synergistic effect in terms of conversion and selectivity. The association of the nanosponges with the C3N4 enhances the photocatalytic activity of the semiconductor, possibly due to the local concentration effect occurring on the photocatalyst surface that would involve a concentration into the nanosponge matrix ca. 500 times larger than in the solution bulk. Composites of …

Heterogeneous photocatalysis for selective partial oxidation reactions in aqueous suspension

Heterogeneous photocatalysis for selective partial oxidation reactions in aqueous suspension

Selective Photocatalytic Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Furandicarboxaldehyde by Polymeric C3N4-H2O2 Adduct

Selective Photocatalytic Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Furandicarboxaldehyde by Polymeric C3N4-H2O2 Adduct

Photocatalytic H2 evolution from aqueous solutions of oxygenated organic compounds in the presence of C3N4/reduced graphene oxide based photocatalysts

Composites of C3N4/reduced graphene oxide have been used as a cheap and promising photocatalysts for triethanolamine and ethanol photo-reforming with H2 generation in aqueous solution. The rate of H2 production over the best performing photocatalysts reached 1,415 μmol·h-1·g-1 which increases up to 57,306 in the presence of 1% of Pt. The apparent quantum efficiency of the optimal material was 7 % by using both LED and natural sunlight irradiation

Environmentally sustainable production of cellulose-based superadsorbent hydrogels

Supported Keggin heteropolyacid catalysts for glycerol acetylation

Heteropolyacids (HPAs) are a class of molecular metal oxides called polyoxometalates, with a heteroatom in the cluster structure forming an oxo-metallic cluster with the addenda metal atoms. Due to the tunable acid-base and redox properties, HPAs have been used as catalysts both for homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions. Many efforts have been devoted to HPAs heterogeneization because, being soluble in polar solvents, their separation and recovery in liquid-solid regime reactors is a relevant practical application problem. Moreover, due to the low specific surface areas (1÷10 m2 g-1) their dispersion on supports with high surface area can increase the accessibility of the reacting species…

Microwave-assisted chemical modification of g-C3N4 for photoinduced processes: organic degradation, hydrogen production and selective oxidation of alcohols

g-C3N4 powders were treated by means of the microwave technique in three different aqueous and organic media (HNO3, NaOH and N,N-dimethylformamide). All powders were analyzed by XRD reveling that g-C3N4 maintains its structure. The morphology of the samples was analyzed with scanning electron microscopy, where the micrographs reveals that the modifcation occurs on the surface of the g-C3N4. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated in the degradation of ciprofoxacin, hydrogen production and for the selective partial oxidation of 4-methoxybenzylalcohol (4-MBA) to its aldehyde. The sample treated with HNO3 (C3N4-HNO3) shows the best photocatalytic performance in the degradation…

Photoactivity of Shape-Controlled TiO2 in Gas-Solid Regime Under Solar Irradiation

Shape-controlled TiO2 materials have been tested as photocatalysts under both simulated and natural solar irradiation.

Photocatalytic Solar Light H2 Production by Aqueous Glucose Reforming

Photocatalytic Solar Light H2 Production by Aqueous Glucose Reforming

Different preparation methods of bare and doped carbon nitride (C3N4) employed for selective photocatalytic oxidations

Different preparation methods of bare and doped carbon nitride (C3N4) employed for selective photocatalytic oxidations

Photocatalytic Generation of H2 by Photoreforming of Organics in Aqueous Suspension of Nb2o5/C3n4 Composites

Bare and composite materials based on C3N4 and Nb2O5 have been used as photocatalysts for the photoreforming of aqueous solutions of oxygenated compounds. Both Nb2O5 and Nb2O5/C3N4 composites have been prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and all of them were physical-chemically characterized. In this work two different carbon nitride species i.e. graphitic (g-C3N4) or thermo-etched (TE-C3N4) were used both alone or coupled with Nb2O5. The photo-reforming activity has been measured under UV irradiation by using the semiconductors in the presence of Pt as co-catalysts and, in the case of the best material, it was, for the first time, measured and compared also under natural solar irradiation. …