Ti₃C₂-MXene/Bismuth Ferrite Nanohybrids for Efficient Degradation of Organic Dyes and Colorless Pollutants

Abstract

The current environmental and potable water crisis requires technological advancement to tackle the issues caused by different organic pollutants. Herein, we report the degradation of organic pollutants such as Congo Red and acetophenone from aqueous media using visible light irradiation. To harvest the solar energy for photocatalysis, we fabricated a nanohybrid system composed of bismuth ferrite nanoparticles with two-dimensional (2D) MXene sheets, namely, the BiFeO3 (BFO)/Ti3C2 (MXene) nanohybrid, for enhanced photocatalytic activity. The hybrid BFO/MXene is fabricated using a simple and low-cost double-solvent solvothermal method. The SEM and TEM images showed that the BFO nanoparticles are attached onto the surface of 2D MXene sheets. The photocatalytic degradation achieved by the hybrid is found to be 100% in 42 min for the organic dye (Congo Red) and 100% for the colorless aqueous pollutant (acetophenone) in 150 min. The BFO/MXene hybrid system exhibited a large surface area of 147 m2 g–1 measured via the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller sorption–desorption technique, which is found to be the largest among all BFO nanoparticles and derivatives. The photoluminescence spectra indicate a low electron–hole recombination rate. Fast and efficient degradation of organic molecules is caused by two factors: larger surface area and lower electron–hole recombination rate, which makes the BFO/MXene nanohybrid a highly efficient photocatalyst and a promising candidate for many future applications.

An Overview of Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Applications of the Transition Metal Carbide Nanomaterials

“…The degradation of Congo dye and acetophenone was also observed using non-doped bismuth ferrite/Ti 3 C 2 MXene and 100% photocatalytic degradation of Congo red dye was achieved in 42 min and acetophenone in 150 min. [ 127 ].…”

Role of cooperative factors in the photocatalytic activity of Ba and Mn doped BiFeO3 nanoparticles

“…18 However, the utilisation of BFO is limited due to rapid charge carrier recombination, and the formation of detrimental defect and trap states in the electronic band structure due to oxygen vacancies. Subsequently, different strategies have been developed to improve its photocatalytic efficiency, e.g., by altering the morphology, [19][20][21] synthesizing composites, [22][23][24][25] exploring nanohybrids, 26 and tailoring its properties via doping. 27 A moderate amount of doping into BFO at both Bi-and Fesites affects its ferroelectric, magnetic and optical properties.…”

Magnetic phase transition from paramagnetic in Nb2AlC-MAX to superconductivity-like diamagnetic in Nb2C-MXene: an experimental and computational analysis

“…E-mail: syedrizwan@sns.nust.edu.pk; syedrizwanh83@ gmail.com; Tel: +925190855599 various biomedical applications, energy storage, supercapacitors, and nanoelectronics. [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] As far as the magnetism in such 2D MXenes is concerned, it remains less investigated, and this research void needs to be lled. Recently, Babar et al reported the observation of superconductivity in as-prepared powdered Nb 2 C for the rst time, with the highest onset transition temperature T c,onset ¼ 12.5 K among the MXene family.…”