Incorporation of Hydroquinone in the Synthesis of Bi₂Ti₂O₇–TiO₂ Contributes to Higher Efficiency of Hydroquinone Degradation: Preparation, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Mechanism

In this paper, Bi-doped hydroquinone (HDQ) molecularly imprinted TiO₂ (Bi-HDQ-TiO₂) with the synthesis of Bi₂Ti₂O₇-TiO₂ as the main ingredient was developed. Using HDQ as an imprinted molecule, Bi(NO₃)₃-5H₂O was introduced into the synthesis of Bi-HDQ-TiO₂, which revealed that bismuth oxide was protected by HDQ in the temperature range of 0-450 °C, and during the gradual increase of the temperature up to 550 °C, the HDQ eluted completely, then the surrounding TiO₂ was nucleated by bismuth oxide and bonded with the bismuth oxide, causing all of them to be transformed into Bi₂Ti₂O₇. The excited electrons of the catalyst could be transported efficiently in various surface interfaces, meanwhile inhibiting the complexation of photogenerated carriers, thereby improving the efficiency of photocatalysis. A degradation efficiency of 96.35% of HDQ was achieved under 30 min UV irradiation, indicating that the candidate material has a promising future application in environmental purification or human health.