Mixed Ti-Zr metal-organic-frameworks for the photodegradation of acetaminophen under solar irradiation

• Published in: Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Vol. 253; pp. 253 - 262
• Main Authors: Gómez-Avilés, A., Peñas-Garzón, M., Bedia, J., Dionysiou, D.D., Rodríguez, J.J., Belver, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.09.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Acetaminophen; Amorphous materials; Analgesics; Catalysis; Catalytic activity; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Free radicals; Irradiation; Metal organic framework; Metal-organic frameworks; Metals; NH2-MIL-125; Photocatalysis; Photocatalysts; Photodegradation; Pollutants; Radiation; Radicals; Solar photocatalysis; Titanium; Water purification; Zirconium; Metal organic framework; Solar photocatalysis; NH2-MIL-125; Water purification; Acetaminophen
• ISSN: 0926-3373; 1873-3883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2019.04.040

[Display omitted] •New mixed Ti-Zr MOFs were synthesized by the partial substitution of Ti by Zr.•Higher activity for the acetaminophen solar photocatalytic degradation was obtained.•O2− is the main contributing species in the photodegradation.•The new MOFs remain fairly stable after three successive runs. Mixed Ti-Zr metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs) have been synthesized and tested as photocatalysts under solar-simulated radiation using acetaminophen (ACE) as target pollutant. These materials were obtained upon partial substitution of Ti by Zr atoms in the crystalline structure of NH2-MIL-125(Ti) MOF. The effect of the Ti:Zr molar ratio on their characteristics and catalytic behaviour has been analysed. Materials with high Zr relative amount (60–80%) showed amorphous structure and low solar-photocatalytic activity. In contrast, lower Zr proportions resulted in new MOFs with well-defined crystalline structure and high activity for the solar photocatalytic degradation of ACE, even higher than that of the bare Ti MOF. Results with scavengers allowed concluding that O2− radicals are the main reactive species, although photogenerated OH radicals and electrons also contribute to the degradation. The stability of the most active photocatalyst was confirmed upon three successive runs.