Seyed Milad Tabatabaeinejad

This research offers a bio-template synthesis for NiZrO3 and Ag-NiZrO3. On the other hand, it introduces simple and rapid preparation of carbon-based nano-photocatalyst including g-C3N4 and g-C3N5. The main objective was to obtain photocatalysts with improved efficiency while maintaining a sustainable synthesis strategy for overall water splitting. The obtained materials were examined using PXRD, DRS, FT-IR, FESEM, and BET techniques. These analyses verified the successful formation of crystalline phases and also revealed changes in the surface properties of the prepared samples. The photocatalytic performance of the prepared samples was evaluated under simulated solar light. Among them, the Ag–NiZrO₃/g-C₃N₅ nanocomposite exhibited the highest oxygen evolution activity, producing 6.9 μmol of O₂. Other nanocomposites showed lower oxygen evolution values, with oxygen production ranging from 5.3 to 5.9 μmol. This behavior may be attributed to the narrower band gap of the composite (1.8 eV) together with its larger specific surface area. These features can increase the number of available active sites and help to promote the separation of photogenerated charge carriers. The presence of Ag nanoparticles in the NiZrO₃/g-C₃N₅ composite is likely associated with the observed enhancement in photocatalytic activity. This effect may arise from changes in the electronic structure including a reduction in band gap energy and more efficient charge transport across the heterostructure. Based on these results, Ag–NiZrO₃/g-C₃N₅ appears to be a suitable candidate for solar-driven water splitting, particularly when environmentally friendly photocatalytic systems are desired.

This research offers a bio-template synthesis for NiZrO3 and Ag-NiZrO3. On the other hand, it introduces simple and rapid preparation of carbon-based nano-photocatalyst including g-C3N4 and g-C3N5. The main objective was to obtain photocatalysts with improved efficiency while maintaining a sustainable synthesis strategy for overall water splitting. The obtained materials were examined using PXRD, DRS, FT-IR, FESEM, and BET techniques. These analyses verified the successful formation of crystalline phases and also revealed changes in the surface properties of the prepared samples. The photocatalytic performance of the prepared samples was evaluated under simulated solar light. Among them, the Ag–NiZrO₃/g-C₃N₅ nanocomposite exhibited the highest oxygen evolution activity, producing 6.9 μmol of O₂. Other nanocomposites showed lower oxygen evolution values, with oxygen production ranging from 5.3 to 5.9 μmol. This behavior may be attributed to the narrower band gap of the composite (1.8 eV) together with its larger specific surface area. These features can increase the number of available active sites and help to promote the separation of photogenerated charge carriers. The presence of Ag nanoparticles in the NiZrO₃/g-C₃N₅ composite is likely associated with the observed enhancement in photocatalytic activity. This effect may arise from changes in the electronic structure including a reduction in band gap energy and more efficient charge transport across the heterostructure. Based on these results, Ag–NiZrO₃/g-C₃N₅ appears to be a suitable candidate for solar-driven water splitting, particularly when environmentally friendly photocatalytic systems are desired.

Developing efficient and environmentally sustainable photocatalysts for solar-driven water oxidation remains an important challenge in photocatalytic energy conversion. Here, CuMn₂O₄, Pr-doped CuMn₂O₄, Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene, and their heterostructured nanocomposites were synthesized through a green yeast-assisted route, where yeast served as an environmentally benign capping agent for the preparation of stable nanostructured materials. The crystal structure, morphology, optical properties, elemental composition, and surface characteristics of the synthesized photocatalysts were investigated using different analyses. Their photocatalytic activity was evaluated through oxygen evolution under simulated solar irradiation. Among the investigated samples, the Pr-CuMn₂O₄/Ti₃C₂Tₓ (1:1) nanocomposite exhibited the highest oxygen evolution yield (7.2 μmol), compared with CuMn₂O₄/Ti₃C₂Tₓ (6.2 μmol), Pr-CuMn₂O₄/Ti₃C₂Tₓ (1:2) (6.6 μmol), and Pr-CuMn₂O₄/Ti₃C₂Tₓ (2:1) (6.9 μmol). The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the reduced optical band gap (1.4 eV), higher specific surface area, and the intimate interfacial contact between Pr-CuMn₂O₄ and Ti₃C₂Tₓ, which collectively promote visible-light harvesting and interfacial charge transfer. In addition, the intimate coupling between Pr-CuMn₂O₄ and Ti₃C₂Tₓ is expected to facilitate interfacial charge transport, thereby contributing to the enhanced oxygen evolution activity. These findings demonstrate that integrating Pr-doped CuMn₂O₄ with Ti₃C₂Tₓ through a green synthetic strategy provides an effective approach for designing visible-light-responsive photocatalysts for solar-driven oxygen evolution.

Persistent pharmaceutical contaminants in water pose a major challenge to conventional wastewater treatment methods. Visible-light-driven photocatalytic oxidation is a promising approach for their degradation, but achieving high efficiency, stability, and recyclability remains a key challenge. In this study, a magnetically recoverable hollow ZnFe2O4/CoO/CQDs nanocatalyst was synthesized and evaluated for the degradation of Daclatasvir under visible-light irradiation. Structural and morphological analyses (FTIR, XRD, FESEM, HRTEM) confirmed the hollow architecture, while VSM analysis demonstrated paramagnetic behavior enabling efficient magnetic recovery. BET measurements revealed a mesoporous structure, and DRS analysis indicated a suitable band gap for visible-light photocatalysis. The catalyst achieved 95.5% Daclatasvir degradation within 60 min and retained 88.7% efficiency after five reuse cycles. These results demonstrate that the synergistic combination of ZnFe2O4, CoO, and CQDs in a hollow, magnetically recoverable structure provides an effective and sustainable strategy for removing pharmaceutical pollutants from water, addressing the challenge of developing high-performance visible-light photocatalysts for wastewater treatment.