Novel Z-Scheme TiO۲-ZnBi۲O۴/graphene heterojunction photocatalyst: Innovative synthesis using quince seed mucilage as natural surfactant

Developing interfacial connections is one of the breakthrough strategies to improve the photocatalytic activity of graphene/p-n heterojunction systems. Herein, natural quince seed mucilage, for the first time, was employed as cost-effective and ecofriendly surfactant to prepare novel TiO۲- ZnBi۲O۴/graphene hybrid photocatalyst. The highest photocatalytic efficiency toward methylene blue (MB) degradation under stimulated sunligth irradiation was obtained on TiO۲-ZnBi۲O۴/graphene-TM heterojunction, containing ۱۰ wt.% ZnBi۲O۴ and ۱ wt.% graphene. Quince seed mucilage provided excellent distribution of TiO۲-ZnBi۲O۴ nanoparticles on the highly stabilized graphene sheets, resulting in an improved interfacial intimate contacts, and thus enhanced photocatalytic degradation. Based on the trapping experiments, and photoelectrochemical Mott-Schottky calculations, the hybrid photocatalyst followedindirect Z-scheme charge transfer under simulated sunlight

Keywords:

Quince seed mucilage , Surfactant , TiO۲ , ZnBi۲O۴ , Graphene , Zscheme