Template-Assisted Galvanic Replacement Synthesized Pt/Co3O4/TiO2 for Efficient Visible-Light Degradation of Tetracycline and Methylene Blue
Yanchi Liu, Mohan Sun, Chengchao Qian, Yabo Fu, Junwei Qiao, Diangang Wang, Jiazi Shi, Gaimei Zhang, Xinlin Zhang, Hui LiuAbstract
To overcome the poor visible light response and high recombination rate of photogenerated carriers in bare TiO2, a Pt/Co3O4/TiO2 photocatalyst was fabricated via a template-assisted spontaneous galvanic replacement route. The as-prepared material contains anatase–rutile mixed-phase TiO2, Co3O4, and metallic Pt and retains a dodecahedral morphology with a high specific surface area of 122.64 m2/g. Under visible light irradiation for 120 min, its degradation rates for tetracycline and methylene blue reached 85% and 93%, respectively, which are significantly better than those of pure TiO2 and Pt/Co3O4. The composite also exhibited excellent stability and recyclability. Its superior performance is ascribed to the synergistic effects of the mixed-phase TiO2, the p–n heterojunction between TiO2 and Co3O4, the Schottky barrier at the Pt/TiO2 interface, the localized surface plasmon resonance of Pt, and the high adsorption capacity of the porous material. This work offers a new strategy for treating dye- and antibiotic-containing wastewater.