Microwave–Driven Interface Engineering Enhancing Electron Flow for Highly Efficient Solar NO Oxidation over rGO-Integrated NH2-MIL125(Ti)/TiO2

Interface design plays a pivotal role in developing high-performance photocatalysts for NO oxidation. In this work, a hierarchical rGO-integrated NH₂-MIL125(Ti)/TiO₂ photocatalyst was constructed using a combined liquid-phase and solid-phase microwave synthesis approach. The liquid-phase microwave process enabled the precise deposition of NH₂-MIL125(Ti) on graphene oxide (GO), forming strong interfacial bonds, while the solid-phase microwave thermal shock (SMTS) transformed GO into rGO and induced the formation of TiO₂ nanoparticles. This hierarchical structure established an efficient electron transport pathway, promoting charge separation and directional electron transfer to activate O₂ and generate superoxide radicals (^•O₂^–) as the primary reactive species. The resulting photocatalyst achieved remarkable NO oxidation performance, with an 81.2% NO removal efficiency and a NO₃^– selectivity of 98.5% under simulated sunlight. This study highlights the potential of microwave–driven interface engineering in the innovative design of photocatalysts for environmentally sustainable applications.