Title
Photocatalytic activity of Nb heterostructure (NaNbO<inf>3</inf>/Na<inf>2</inf>Nb<inf>4</inf>O<inf>11</inf>) and Nb/clay materials in the degradation of organic compounds
Date Issued
01 December 2019
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Quijo M.
Marcos F.
Nogueira A.
Rocca R.
Assaf E.
Universidad Federal de São Paulo
Publisher(s)
Elsevier B.V.
Abstract
In this article, Nb heterostructure-based (NaNbO3/Na2Nb4O11) and Nb/Clay-based materials were prepared, characterized and evaluated for the Rhodamine B (C28H31ClN2O3) photodegradation under UV radiation (253.7 nm). As far as this research understands, this is the first time that the photocatalytic activity of the Nb heterostructure (NaNbO3/Na2Nb4O11) is reported. Nb heterostructure is composed of sodium niobate and disodium tetraniobium hendecaoxide (NaNbO3/Na2Nb4O11). The material was synthesized by a simple and economic method via basic precipitation of ammoniacal niobium oxalate (NH4 [NbO (C2O4)2·H2O] XH2O) followed by thermal treatment at 500 °C. Nb/Clay-based materials were synthesized from the natural clay suspension (Montmorillonite) precursor. The addition of Nb to the natural clay by the methodology employed in this work modified the band-gap energy and increased the specific surface area of the resultant materials (to almost twice the value of the original specific surface area). Furthermore, this addition also decreased the luminescence and trap centres and potentiated the photocatalytic activity of the Nb/Clay materials. The Nb heterostructure showed higher photocatalytic activity in Rhodamine B photodegradation (recorded up to 95% removal at natural conditions). Similar values were reported to Nb/Clay materials. Despite the natural clay having more luminescence and trap centres than Nb/Clay materials, it recorded very low photocatalytic activity. Nb addition to natural clay increased the photocatalytic activity of the material, which would give other use to clay along with being used as an adsorbent.
Start page
37
End page
46
Volume
194
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Química orgánica
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85074141318
Source
Solar Energy
ISSN of the container
0038-092X
Sponsor(s)
The authors are grateful for the financial support provided by Brazilian National Council for Scientific Development ( CNPq 304883/2016-6 and 407097/2016-3 ) and Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education ( CAPES , Brazil/Young Talents for The Science Program) for the fellowship; São Paulo State Foundation for Research ( FAPESP , Brazil) ( 2014/24940-5 and 2017/08293-8 ), and Brazilian Metallurgy and Mining Company ( CBMM , Brazil) for the salt precursor of niobium.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus