Novel PtCu/MIL-101(Cr) for efficient degradation of bisphenol A: Photothermal synergism promoted by the localized surface plasmon resonance effect

Semiconductor photocatalysis is one of the most useful methods to solve environmental pollution problems. Herein, nanomaterial PtCu/MIL-101(Cr) was produced by an improved hydrothermal technique. The composite exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance with 99.7 % BPA degradation under 100 min visible light irradiation. First, the PtCu alloy has the effect of the local surface plasmon resonance effect, which can convert the photons to hot electrons and increase the reaction temperature. The synergistic effect (1+1>2) between photocatalysis and thermocatalysis significantly improved the photocatalytic efficiency. Second, the bimetallic alloying lowered the metals' work function and reduced the Schottky barrier between the PtCu alloy and MIL-101(Cr), which effectively promoted the carrier transfer. The ·O₂^-, ·OH and h⁺ were dominant reactive substances in the degradation process. The intermediates and degradation pathways of BPA were analyzed by 3D-EEM. The reaction mechanism was proposed based on theoretical calculations and experimental analysis. This work provides new directions for designing photothermal synergistic green catalysts and purifying the environment.