Introduction of a Fe3O4 Core Enhances the Photocatalytic Activity of MIL-100(Fe) with Tunable Shell Thickness in the Presence of H2O2

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a new class of porous crystallized materials, which have attracted great interest for sustainable energy and environmental remediation. The functionalization of MOF-based catalysts has been investigated to improve their photocatalytic ability. Here, we present a way of enhancing a magnetic MOF-based photocatalyst composed of MIL-100(Fe) and Fe3O4. The photocatalytic performance of the MOFs was significantly enhanced by the simultaneous introduction of a Fe3O4 core and H2O2, as the photoinduced holes and electrons of the MOF were relayed to the core F3O4 and reacted with H2O2, respectively. The optimal thickness of the MOF shell is approximate to 50nm for core-shell Fe3O4@MIL-100 microspheres to achieve the highest photocatalytic ability. Moreover, core-shell Fe3O4@MIL-100(Fe) can be easily recycled without significant loss of photocatalytic ability after being used several times.