局域等离子体效应增强的纳米氮化钛基光催化净水材料探索

Photocatalytic water treatment technology could make use of solar energy for the degradation of various organic pollutants in water and disinfection of a large range of water pathogens, which may offer an alternative approach for the water industry to replace traditional water treatment processes. The main challenge in this research area is to develop photocatalysts with good performances, which should overcome the two problems of current photocatalyts on narrow light response range and low electron-hole separation efficiency. In recent years, the plasmonic photocatalysis has been demonstrated as an efficient approach to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency for water treatment under visible light irradiation. However, its current research is focused on the use of noble metal nanomaterials, such as Au and Ag, for the plasmonic enhancement effect, which makes it difficult to modulate the light response of these plasmonic photocatalysts and largely increases their cost. This proposed project is based on our previous work on photocatalysts for water treatment, in which nano-titanium nitride-based plasmonic materials will be developed with the tunable light response capability. Then, they will be combined with various photocatalysts to create novel plasmonic photocatalysts without noble metal components. In this study, the interaction between light and photocatalysts will also be investigated for the deepening of our understanding on the working mechanism of these nano-titanium nitride-based plasmonic photocatalysts, which could provide directions for the design and synthesis of plasmonic photocatalysts without noble metal components.

光催化净水技术能利用太阳能降解水中的有机污染物、对水中病原体进行消毒处理，被认为是可能替代传统净水处理的绿色技术，其发展的关键在于高效光催化材料的研发。高效光催化材料的设计主要需要克服传统光催化材料光响应波段窄以及电子-空穴分离率低等难题。近年来，局域等离子体效应增强光催化技术被认为是能够有助于解决这两个问题的一个重要研究方向。然而，现有的此方向研究大多集中在利用贵金属纳米材料实现局域等离子体增强效应，其光学响应调控能力较低、材料成本较高，难以应用在光催化净水实践中。本研究拟借助申请者及其所在课题组在光催化净水材料制备与应用探索方面的成功经验，研发光学特性可调的氮化钛基功能纳米材料，进而将其引入现有的光催化材料体系，以获得具有局域等离子体效应增强的高效光催化净水材料。同时，在材料的研发过程中探索光与材料相互作用的基本规律与原理，指导材料的设计合成，为光催化技术进入净水实践进一步创造条件。

光催化净水技术能利用太阳能降解水中的有机污染物、对水中病原体进行消毒处理，被认为是可能替代传统净水处理的绿色技术，其发展的关键在于高效光催化材料的研发。高效光催化材料的设计主要需要克服传统光催化材料光响应波段窄以及电子-空穴分离率低等难题。近年来，局域等离子体效应增强光催化技术被认为是能够有助于解决这两个问题的一个重要研究方向。然而，现有的此方向研究大多集中在利用贵金属纳米材料实现局域等离子体增强效应，其光学响应调控能力较低、材料成本较高，难以应用在光催化净水实践中。本研究借助申请者及其所在课题组在光催化净水材料制备与应用探索方面的成功经验，研发光学特性可调的氮化钛基功能纳米材料，进而将其引入现有的光催化材料体系，获得了具有局域等离子体效应增强的纳米氮化钛基复合光催化净水材料。同时，在研究了系列纳米氮化钛基复合材料对于水中模型污染物的光催化净化能力，研究结果表明纳米氮化钛基复合光催化材料，有望作为一种光催化净水材料用于净水实践中。