Stable semiconductor black phosphorus (BP)@titanium dioxide (TiO2) hybrid photocatalysts.
Over the past few decades, two-dimensional (2D) and layered materials have emerged as new fields. Due to the zero-band-gap nature of graphene and the low photocatalytic performance of MoS2, more advanced semiconducting 2D materials have been prompted. As a result, semiconductor black phosphorus (BP) is a derived cutting-edge post-graphene contender for nanoelectrical application, because of its direct-band-gap nature. For the first time, we report on robust BP@TiO2 hybrid photocatalysts offering enhanced photocatalytic performance under light irradiation in environmental and biomedical fields, with negligible affected on temperature and pH conditions, as compared with MoS2@TiO2 prepared by the identical synthesis method. Remarkably, in contrast to pure few layered BP, which, due to its intrinsic sensitivity to oxygen and humidity was readily dissolved after just several uses, the BP@TiO2 hybrid photocatalysts showed a ~92% photocatalytic activity after 15 runs. Thus, metal-oxide-stabilized BP photocatalysts can be practically applied as a promising alternative to graphene and MoS2.
Division of Materials Science, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Daejeon 305-333, Republic of Korea.
Hyun Uk
HU
Lee
Department of Applied Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, Republic of Korea.
Soon Chang
SC
Lee
Division of Electron Microscopic Research, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Daejeon 305-333, Republic of Korea.
Jonghan
J
Won
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Research Analysis Center, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Byung-Chul
BC
Son
Environmental Biotechnology Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience &Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea.
Saehae
S
Choi
Division of Materials Science, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Daejeon 305-333, Republic of Korea.
Yooseok
Y
Kim
Division of Materials Science, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Daejeon 305-333, Republic of Korea.
So Young
SY
Park
Environmental Biotechnology Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience &Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea.
Hee-Sik
HS
Kim
Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnamdaero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 461-701, Republic of Korea.
Young-Chul
YC
Lee
Division of Materials Science, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Daejeon 305-333, Republic of Korea.
Jouhahn
J
Lee