title: Enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity of ZnO doped with down-conversion NaSrBO3:Tb(3+) phosphors.
abstract: ZnO-NaSrBO3:Tb(3+) (ZNT) composites were successfully synthesized via microwave-assisted reaction of the ZnO precursor with a NaSrBO3:Tb(3+) suspension using a microwave synthesis system. The morphology, structure and photocatalytic performance in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectrophotometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, respectively. The results show that the ZNT composites exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of MB with a maximum degradation rate of 97% under visible light irradiation compared with pure ZnO (12%), which is ascribed to the increased light absorption and the reduction of photoelectron-hole pair recombination in ZnO with the introduction of NaSrBO3:Tb(3+), as well as the light down-converting effect of NaSrBO3:Tb(3+), which facilitates the self-sensitized degradation of MB.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Nanotechnology Promotion Center, Shanghai 200237, China.
authors.forename: Xinjuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Huili
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jinliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Likun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guoquan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Changqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D001881:Borates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D008027:Light; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010782:Photolysis; D013324:Strontium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013725:Terbium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001881:Borates; C543851:strontium borate; D013725:Terbium; D015034:Zinc Oxide; D008751:Methylene Blue; D013324:Strontium