Ag and Fe3O4 Comodified WO3-x Nanocomposites for Catalytic Photothermal Degradation of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products

Ag/Fe3O4/WO3 nanocomposite photocatalysts, which consist of surface plasmon nanoparticle Ag, magnetically recoverable Fe3O4, and coral-like WO3 (- x), are constructed via two-step hydrothermal and photodeposition processes. The significantly strengthened photothermal catalytic-Fenton degradation performance under light irradiation is attributed to the formation of a hierarchical structure, as follows: (i) the unique 3D coral-like defective WO3 (- x) nanorods possess the inheren properties of charge separation and can provide adequate surface active sites, while incident light is reflected multiple times within the nanorods to enhance light utilization; (ii) efficient photo-Fenton characteristics of Fe3O4 nanomaterials with easy magnetic recovery and fast electron transfer emerging at the intimate interface of Fe3O4 and WO3 (- x); and (iii) the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Ag nanoparticles and photothermal effects. Radical scavenger experiments and electron spin resonance analysis indicated that center dot OH and center dot O-2(-) are the main active species for the removal of broad-spectrum pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Furthermore, a possible photothermal catalytic-Fenton synergistic mechanism is proposed. This study will present novel deep insights into the design of photothermal catalytic-Fenton degradation systems using magnetically Fe3O4 coupled WO3 (- x) semiconductors and the SPR effect.

Automated summary

The Ag/Fe3O4/WO3 nanocomposite photocatalysts showed enhanced photocatalytic-Fenton degradation performance under light irradiation, with a possible synergistic mechanism proposed for the photothermal catalytic-Fenton process.