Unveiling the highly efficient light-to-chemical energy conversion of silver-incorporated manganese dioxide photocatalysts via tunable Schottky barriers for the photomineralization of hydrogen sulfide
Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: The photocatalysts, silver (Ag)-incorporated manganese dioxide (MnO2) composites (AM-x), are designed as Schottky junction materials to promote the photomineralization of gaseous H2S. Under low-intensity ultraviolet light (0.98 W), the best performing AM-7 achieves 100% removal of H2S in 330 s with an apparent quantum yield of 0.74%. The photocatalyst also shows excellent stability, maintaining this performance even after six cycles. Its clean air delivery rate (14.1 L min-1) exceeds that of TiO2 and MnO2 by 55.6 and 25.2 times, respectively. In-situ spectroscopy and elemental analysis demonstrate that H2S photodegradation proceeds via the formation of sulfate (SO42-) species, a process significantly enhanced under humid conditions. Optical characterization confirms superiority of AM-7 through the formation of a Schottky junction and enhanced light absorption/utilization. DFT calculations reveal that an interfacial electric field at the Schottky junction facilitates charge separation by transferring photo-generated electrons from the MnO2 valence band to the Ag nanoparticles, effectively suppressing electron-hole recombination. This study offers valuable insights into the design of highly efficient Schottky junction photocatalysts as a highly efficient tool for environmental remediation. This work thus represents a major leap forward in engineering photocatalytic materials for portable air purifiers that function in ambient conditions.
Authors: Xueli He, Kumar Vikrant, Wanfeng Yue, Zhansheng Lu, Ki-Hyun Kim
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Awards: G8265076883, G920264540
OpenAlex ID: W7084130780
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: