Construction of MIL-125(Ti)/ZnIn2S4 composites with accelerated interfacial charge transfer for boosting visible light photoreactivity

Abstract Visible-light-driven pollutants removal have drawn wide attention owing to their inexpensive, easy operation and environmental friendliness. In this research, a novel photocatalyst of MIL-125(Ti) (a crystalline titanium dicarboxylate)/ZnIn2S4 composites was prepared via a simple solvothermal method. The photocatalytic performance was evaluated via the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and reduction of Cr (VI) under visible-light irradiation. The resulting MIL-125(Ti)/ZnIn2S4 composites displayed obviously enhanced photocatalytic activity than that of single ZnIn2S4 and MIL-125(Ti), and the ideal incorporation amount of MIL-125(Ti) was around 60 wt%. The improved photocatalytic activities could be ascribed to the interfacial charge transferring, the electron transfer between Ti4+ and Ti3+, as well as the synergistic effect between ZnIn2S4 and MIL-125(Ti). The primary active species can be determined by radicals trapping experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis. This research extends the knowledge of developing more novel photocatalysts in the environmental purification territory.