An environmentally friendly bifunctional composite mediated by metal organic frameworks for dramatically enhanced SERS and photocatalytic performances

The portable materials with excellent bi-functionality used in monitoring and photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants are significant in light energy utilization and sustainability. Herein, a plug and play and cost-efficient Ti-TiO2-ZIF-8-Ag (ET-Z8-Ag) composite was facilely fabricated. It showed that the etched titanium sheet was conducive to the growths of the zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) and Ag with good dispersion. Furthermore, the SERS and photocatalytic performances of the ET-Z8-Ag were studied with p-aminothiophenol (p-ATP, a harmful pesticide intermediate) as the analyte. It showed that more p-ATP molecules can be adsorbed as a result of the π-π interaction and Ag-S bond between p-ATP and the ET-Z8-Ag. Moreover, the large and special heterogeneous interface in the ET-Z8-Ag was advantageous to promoting charge transfer, and thus SERS response and photocatalytic degradation of p-ATP were improved. Compared with some materials reported, the ET-Z8-Ag with a smaller amount of Ag showed higher sensitivity and faster degradation rate towards p-ATP. Especially, almost 100% p-ATP in river water can be rapidly removed within 5 min with the help of the ET-Z8-Ag, and its efficiency was still remained after six cycles. The cost-efficient and portable composite will be potential in the detection and removal of organic pollutants in wastewater.