Development of ZnO/Bi2O3/Carbon xerogel ternary composites as photocatalysts for the degradation of persistent organic pollutants

• Grant number: 18/16360-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): April 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Liana Alvares Rodrigues
• Grantee: Nicolas Perciani de Moraes
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project will generate scientific knowledge to increase the competitive edge, technological base of EEL/USP in the material area. It is intended to explore the development of ternary composites based on zinc oxide, bismuth oxide and carbon xerogel, sensitive to visible light radiation, for application in photocatalytic processes using sunlight. For this, the preparation of the ZnO/Bi2O3/Carbon xerogel composite will be studied, since the coupling of semiconductors by type II or Z-scheme heterojunctions is beneficial to the photocatalytic process. In these types of heterojunctions, the potential of the conduction and valence bands of the semiconductors are different, promoting the transfer of photogenerated charges between them, increasing the recombination time and, consequently, the photocatalytic activity of the material. The use of carbon xerogel in the preparation of the semiconductor-carbonaceous material, besides producing a composite with greater sensitivity to visible light, is justified by its excellent electrical conductivity, high surface area and porosity. Variations in the process parameters, such as the synthesis route (in aqueous or alcoholic media, using acid or basic catalyst), ratio between semiconductor/carbonaceous matrix, modification of the carbonaceous precursor and variation in the calcination temperature, to obtain composites with different morphological characteristics, dispersion of the inorganic phase in the organic phase, adsorption capacity and photocatalytic efficiency. By modifying the reaction pH, the type of particles (polymeric or colloidal) constituting the carbon gel will be controlled. With the study of the semiconductor/xerogel ratio of carbon, it will be possible to estimate the optimum value in which the material presents greater photocatalytic activity under visible light radiation. The study of the type of solvent used in the synthesis of the composites is fundamental, as this directly affects the morphological uniformity, the reaction rate and the shrinkage of the material during the curing and calcination step, parameters that interfere in the adsorption and photodegradation step of the photocatalytic process. The determination of the optimum calcination temperature is important for the evaluation of the synergistic effect between adsorption capacity and photocatalytic activity of the prepared materials, resulting in a material with greater sensitivity to visible light radiation for application in photocatalytic processes employing sunlight. In addition, the study of the calcination temperature will allow the evaluation of the effect of the presence of xerogel on the crystallization temperature of the oxides. The photocatalytic action of the material will be evaluated by the decomposition of 4-chlorophenol and bisphenol A, highly toxic organic pollutants with low biodegradability. The band gap energy of the samples will be determined using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The crystallographic phase, morphology, elemental analysis, analysis of metal content, and porosity of the samples will be examined by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, respectively. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) will be used to measure enthalpy changes due to changes in the physical and chemical properties of the samples. Thermogravimetry (TGA) will be used to evaluate the thermal stability of the materials. (AU)

Scientific publications

(18)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; ANSELMO, RODRIGO BARBOSA; SARTOR, LUIS OTAVIO; JUCA DANTAS, GUSTAVO VIEGAS; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES; CHAGURI E CARVALHO, LIVIA. Spray drying as feasible processing technique to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the Nb2O5/carbon xerogel composite. Materials Letters, v. 273, AUG 15 2020. (17/03428-2, 18/10492-1, 18/16360-0)

MARTINS DE SOUSA, JULIANA GIANCOLI; CHICUTA DA SILVA, THIAGO VIEIRA; DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; CAETANO PINTO DA SILVA, MARIA LUCIA; ROCHA, ROBSON DA SILVA; LANDERS, RICHARD; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Visible light-driven ZnO/g-C3N4/carbon xerogel ternary photocatalyst with enhanced activity for 4-chlorophenol degradation. Materials Chemistry and Physics, v. 256, DEC 1 2020. (13/02762-5, 17/10118-0, 18/10492-1, 18/16360-0, 18/12035-7)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; VALIM, RICARDO BERTHOLO; ROCHA, ROBSON DA SILVA; CAETANO PINTO DA SILVA, MARIA LUCIA; BASTOS CAMPOS, TIAGO MOREIRA; THIM, GILTNAR PATROCINIO; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Zinc oxide/carbon xerogel composites for photocatalytic applications developed through acidic and alkaline synthesis routes: structural, morphological, and photocatalytic evaluations. JOURNAL OF NANOPARTICLE RESEARCH, v. 22, n. 6, JUN 5 2020. (13/02762-5, 18/10492-1, 18/16360-0, 18/12035-7, 17/10118-0, 16/20920-5)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; ANTONIO ROUPINHA, LAIS HELENA; DOS SANTOS, GABRIELA SPIRANDELLI; CANUTO DE MENEZES, BEATRIZ ROSSI; MARTINS DE SOUSA, JULIANA GIANCOLI; JUCA DANTAS, GUSTAVO VIEGAS; CHAGURI, LIVIA; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Synthesis, characterization and application of Nb2O5-doped zinc oxide for solar-based photodegradation of 4-chlorophenol. Materials Letters, v. 275, SEP 15 2020. (13/02762-5, 18/16360-0, 18/12035-7, 18/10492-1, 17/10118-0)

JUCA DANTAS, GUSTAVO VIEGAS; DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; BACANI, REBECA; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Facile synthesis of cadmium sulfide and the effect of thermal annealing in N-2-rich atmosphere on its structural, morphological, chemical, and optical properties. Materials Chemistry and Physics, v. 277, FEB 1 2022. (18/16360-0, 18/10492-1)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; GOES, CLARICE MOREIRA; ROCHA, ROBSON DA SILVA; VICENTE GOUVEA, MAIRA ELIZABETH; DE SIERVO, ABNER; CAETANO PINTO DA SILVA, MARIA LUCIA; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Tannin-based carbon xerogel as a promising co-catalyst for photodegradation processes based on solar light: a case study using the tin (IV) oxide/carbon xerogel composite. Chemical Engineering Communications, SEP 2021. (07/54829-5, 18/16360-0, 07/08244-5, 19/03641-3)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; GOES, CLARICE MOREIRA; SPERANDIO, DANIEL COUTO; ROCHA, ROBSON DA SILVA; LANDERS, RICHARD; PARAMASIVAM, THANGADURAI; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Development of a new zinc oxide/tin oxide/carbon xerogel photocatalyst for visible light photodegradation of 4-chlorophenol. MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING B-ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL SOLID-STATE MATERIALS, v. 269, JUL 2021. (18/16360-0, 18/10492-1, 17/10118-0, 19/03641-3, 13/02762-5, 18/12035-7)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; VALIM, RICARDO BERTHOLO; ROCHA, ROBSON DA SILVA; CAETANO PINTO SILVA, MARIA LUCIA; BASTOS CAMPOS, TIAGO MOREIRA; THIM, GILMAR PATROCINIO; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Effect of synthesis medium on structural and photocatalytic properties of ZnO/carbon xerogel composites for solar and visible light degradation of 4-chlorophenol and bisphenol A. COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS, v. 584, JAN 2 2020. (18/10492-1, 17/10118-0, 18/16360-0, 13/02762-5, 18/12035-7, 16/20920-5)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; TOREZIN, FERNANDA AZZONI; JUCA DANTAS, GUSTAVO VIEGAS; MARTINS DE SOUSA, JULIANA GIANCOLI; VALIM, RICARDO BERTHOLO; ROCHA, ROBSON DA SILVA; LANDERS, RICHARD; GAETANO PINTO DA SILVA, MARIA LUCIA; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. TiO2/Nb2O5/carbon xerogel ternary photocatalyst for efficient degradation of 4-chlorophenol under solar light irradiation. CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL, v. 46, n. 10, A, p. 14505-14515, JUL 2020. (13/02762-5, 18/16360-0, 18/12035-7, 18/10492-1, 17/10118-0)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; ANSELMO, RODRIGO BARBOSA; BACANI, REBECA; SARTOR, LUIS OTAVIO; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES; CHAGURI, LIVIA. Effect of fluoride on the properties of spray-dried niobium-based composites: structure, porosity, particle size, morphology, and photoactivity. Chemical Engineering Communications, OCT 2021. (19/07046-2, 17/03428-2, 18/10492-1, 18/16360-0)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; ROCHA, ROBSON DA SILVA; CAETANO PINTO DA SILVA, MARIA LUCIA; BASTOS CAMPOS, TIAGO MOREIRA; THIM, GILMAR PATROCINIO; LANDERS, RICHARD; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Facile preparation of Bi-doped ZnO/beta-Bi2O3/Carbon xerogel composites towards visible-light photocatalytic applications: Effect of calcination temperature and bismuth content. CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL, v. 46, n. 15, p. 23895-23909, OCT 15 2020. (13/02762-5, 18/16360-0, 18/12035-7, 18/10492-1, 17/10118-0)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; DOS SANTOS, GABRIELA SPIRANDELLI; NEVES, GABRIEL COSTA; VALIM, RICARDO BERTHOLO; ROCHA, ROBSON DA SILVA; LANDERS, RICHARD; CAETANO PINTO DA SILVA, MARIA LUCIA; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Development of Nb2O5-doped ZnO/Carbon xerogel photocatalyst for the photodegradation of 4-chlorophenol. OPTIK, v. 219, OCT 2020. (18/12035-7, 17/10118-0, 18/10492-1, 13/02762-5, 18/16360-0)

DOS SANTOS, GABRIELA SPIRANDELLI; GOES, CLARICE MOREIRA; MARTINS DE SOUSA, JULIANA GIANCOLI; DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; CHAGURI, LIVIA; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Evaluation of ZnO/Carbon Xerogel Composite as a Photocatalyst for Solar and Visible Light Degradation of the Rhodamine B Dye. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, v. 21, n. 4, p. 2292-2301, APR 2021. (17/03428-2, 18/16360-0, 19/03641-3, 16/20920-5, 18/10492-1)

NICOLAS PERCIANI DE MORAES; LETICIA ARAÚJO BACETTO; CLARICE MOREIRA GOES; GUSTAVO VIÉGAS JUCÁ DANTAS; MARIA LUCIA CAETANO PINTO DA SILVA; LIANA ALVARES RODRIGUES. Desenvolvimento de compósitos ZnC2O4/xerogel de carbono para degradação fotocatalítica de azul de metileno sob radiação solar. MATERIA-RIO DE JANEIRO, v. 26, n. 2, 2021-05-24. (18/10492-1, 18/16360-0, 19/03641-3)

JULIANA GIANCOLI MARTINS DE SOUSA; NICOLAS PERCIANI DE MORAES; CLARICE MOREIRA GOES; GUSTAVO VIÉGAS JUCÁ DANTAS; MARIA LUCIA CAETANO PINTO DA SILVA; LIANA ALVARES RODRIGUES. Avaliação das propriedades estruturais e fotocatalíticas de compósitos g-C3N4/ZnO/xerogel de carbono sintetizados com diferentes tipos de tanino. MATERIA-RIO DE JANEIRO, v. 27, n. 1, 2022-05-06. (18/10492-1, 18/16360-0, 19/03641-3)

GUSTAVO VIÉGAS JUCÁ DANTAS; NICOLAS PERCIANI DE MORAES; ROBSON DA SILVA ROCHA; ABNER DE SIERVO; MARCOS ROBERTO DE VASCONCELOS LANZA; LIANA ALVARES RODRIGUES. Synthesis and Application of the Ternary Zn0.5Cd0.5S/ZnO/carbon Xerogel Composite in the Photocatalytic Degradation of 4-chlorophenol. MATERIALS RESEARCH-IBERO-AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MATERIALS, v. 25, 2022-05-16. (18/10492-1, 18/16360-0)

DE LIMA DUARTE, ROSANGELA VIANA; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES; DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; DA COSTA COUCEIRO, PAULO ROGERIO. Brasil nut mesocarp (Bertholletia excels) as a Biomass Source for Activated Carbon Production: Correlation Between Thermal Treatment and Adsorption Performance. BIOINTERFACE RESEARCH IN APPLIED CHEMISTRY, v. 12, n. 4, p. 4584-4596, AUG 15 2022. (18/16360-0)

DE MORAES, NICOLAS PERCIANI; MARINS, LUCCA GABRIEL PENIDA; YAMANAKA, MARCELO YUJI DE MOURA; BACANI, REBECA; ROCHA, ROBSON DA SILVA; RODRIGUES, LIANA ALVARES. Efficient photodegradation of 4-chlorophenol under solar radiation using a new ZnO/ZnS/carbon xerogel composite as a photocatalyst. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY A-CHEMISTRY, v. 418, SEP 1 2021. (18/16360-0, 18/12035-7)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MORAES, Nicolas Perciani de. Development of ternary ZnO/Bi2O3/carbon xerogel composites as photocatalysts for the degradation of persistent organic pollutants. 2022. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ciência e Engenharia dos Materiais (IFS/EES) Lorena.