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Facile preparation of yolk–shell structured Si/SiC@C@TiO2 nanocomposites as highly efficient photocatalysts for degrading organic dye in wastewater

The yolk–shell structured Si/SiC@C (YSSC) nanospheres were prepared by a facile magnesiothermic reduction process. After coating with TiO2 nanoparticles, the YSSC@TiO2 composites possess a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Langmuir surface area of 423 and 584 m2 g−1, respectively, and show high adsorption capability for methyl blue (MB) and Congo red in water. Moreover, the nanocomposites show a strong photon absorbance throughout the visible light region, and exhibit excellent photocatalytic performance for degrading MB in water. The MB degradation follows the pseudo 1st order kinetics and the calculated rate constant for YSSC@TiO2 under UV (visible) light irradiation is approximately 4.5 (7.9), 8 (17), and 7.6 (22.7) times larger than that of the synthesized TiO2, commercial P25 and YSSC spheres, respectively. Stability tests show that the YSSC@TiO2 nanospheres possess high stability and maintain good photocatalytic activity over four runs of cycle experiments. The excellent photocatalytic activity of YSSC@TiO2 can be ascribed to the synergism of high adsorption of dye molecules on the surface, extended light adsorption range and the formation of semiconductor heterostructures that allow for efficient separation of photogenerated electrons and holes through a Z-scheme system within the catalyst.