TY - JOUR
T1 - Fabrication and photocatalytic performance of highly crystalline nanosheets derived from flux-grown KNb 3O 8 crystals
AU - Suzuki, Sayaka
AU - Teshima, Katsuya
AU - Yamaguchi, Akiko
AU - Yubuta, Kunio
AU - Shishido, Toetsu
AU - Oishi, Shuji
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2012/2/7
Y1 - 2012/2/7
N2 - Potassium triniobate (KNb 3O 8), which is an oxide semiconductor photocatalyst, has a layered structure consisting of negatively charged sheets of linked NbO 6 octahedral units and K + ions between the sheets. We report the flux growth of KNb 3O 8 crystals and their application for the photocatalytic decomposition of organic thin films. First, high quality, idiomorphic KNb 3O 8 crystals were successfully grown by cooling a KCl flux. Transparent-colorless KNb 3O 8 crystals had relatively uniform sizes and shapes. The size, morphology and phase of the grown crystals were dependent on the holding temperature and solute concentration. Next, highly crystalline NbO x nanosheets were successfully prepared via a two-step process, that is, proton exchange and subsequent exfoliation of the KNb 3O 8 crystals. Finally, the nanosheet layer spin-coated on a silica glass was used for photodegradation of hydrophobic organosilane thin films. The fabricated layer was colorless and transparent, and it absorbed ultraviolet (UV) light with a wavelength less than 350 nm. When organosilane thin films were placed in contact with the nanosheet layer and UV light was irradiated to the organosilane thin films through the transparent nanosheet layer, the wettability of organosilane layers was drastically converted from hydrophobic to ultrahydrophilic. The highly crystalline nanosheet layer was found to exhibit excellent photocatalytic properties.
AB - Potassium triniobate (KNb 3O 8), which is an oxide semiconductor photocatalyst, has a layered structure consisting of negatively charged sheets of linked NbO 6 octahedral units and K + ions between the sheets. We report the flux growth of KNb 3O 8 crystals and their application for the photocatalytic decomposition of organic thin films. First, high quality, idiomorphic KNb 3O 8 crystals were successfully grown by cooling a KCl flux. Transparent-colorless KNb 3O 8 crystals had relatively uniform sizes and shapes. The size, morphology and phase of the grown crystals were dependent on the holding temperature and solute concentration. Next, highly crystalline NbO x nanosheets were successfully prepared via a two-step process, that is, proton exchange and subsequent exfoliation of the KNb 3O 8 crystals. Finally, the nanosheet layer spin-coated on a silica glass was used for photodegradation of hydrophobic organosilane thin films. The fabricated layer was colorless and transparent, and it absorbed ultraviolet (UV) light with a wavelength less than 350 nm. When organosilane thin films were placed in contact with the nanosheet layer and UV light was irradiated to the organosilane thin films through the transparent nanosheet layer, the wettability of organosilane layers was drastically converted from hydrophobic to ultrahydrophilic. The highly crystalline nanosheet layer was found to exhibit excellent photocatalytic properties.
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U2 - 10.1039/c1ce06035j
DO - 10.1039/c1ce06035j
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84863406195
VL - 14
SP - 987
EP - 992
JO - CrystEngComm
JF - CrystEngComm
SN - 1466-8033
IS - 3
ER -