One-Step Construction of SrTiO₃-TiO₂ Interfaces for Efficient NO Removal via Visible-Light Photocatalysis

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Urban air pollution from nitrogen oxides (NOx) necessitates advanced abatement strategies.
• Visible-light-responsive photocatalysts offer a sustainable solution for NOx removal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize SrTiO3/xTiO2 heterojunction photocatalysts for efficient visible-light-driven NOx abatement.
• To investigate the effect of Ti precursor ratios on the photocatalytic performance.

Main Methods:

• Facile one-step precipitation method involving ethanol-mediated precursor coordination, alkaline induction, and thermal activation.
• Synthesis of SrTiO3/xTiO2 heterojunctions with tunable Ti precursor ratios.
• Characterization using structural, morphological, and optical techniques.

Main Results:

• Successful formation of SrTiO3/TiO2 heterojunctions with enhanced visible-light absorption and intimate interfacial contact.
• SrTiO3/2TiO2 composite exhibited the highest NO removal efficiency (63.89%) and lowest NO2 generation (8.45%).
• The composite demonstrated superior performance compared to pristine SrTiO3 and TiO2, with excellent stability.

Conclusions:

• The facile one-step synthesis route effectively produces SrTiO3/TiO2 heterojunctions for visible-light NOx abatement.
• Enhanced charge separation and transfer in the heterojunctions boost photocatalytic activity.
• SrTiO3/TiO2 heterojunctions are promising for air purification technologies.