Enhancing the Photocatalytic Activity by Tailoring an Anodic Aluminum Oxide Photonic Crystal to the Semiconductor Catalyst: At the Example of Iron Oxide

Published online: OnlinePublPhotonic crystals (PhCs) are interesting structures for photocatalytic applications because of their capability of harnessing distinct forms of light–matter interactions within the PhCs. Of all these, overlapping one of the photonic stopband’s (PSB) edge with the absorption of the PhC material or adsorbed molecules improves their excitation and generated charge carriers can subsequently induce photocatalytic reactions. The PSB position of anodic aluminum oxide PhCs (AAO-PhCs) can be easily adjusted by modifying the anodization profile. Herein, AAO-PhCs are designed to match the band gap of a model semiconductor enabling a general photocatalytic activity enhancement independent of the chemical to be decomposed. Fe₂O₃, as an example photocatalyst, is coated onto AAO-PhCs to demonstrate efficient photocatalytic systems by utilizing the slow photon effect. Tailored Fe₂O₃-AAO-PhCs with their PSB edge at 564 nm matching the Fe₂O₃ band gap exhibit generally enhanced degradation of three different organic dyes while a significant activity decrease is observed when the PSB edge does not overlap with the Fe₂O₃ absorption. Furthermore, photocatalyst degradation can be reduced down to only 4% activity loss over six consecutive measurements by an ultra-thin alumina coating.Carina Hedrich, Anna R. Burson, Silvia González-García, Víctor Vega, Victor M. Prida, Abel Santos, Robert H. Blick, and Robert Zierol

Information (and library) science at City University London; 50 years of educational development

The development of education for information and library science at City University London over a 50-year period is described in this article. The development of the Masters course in Information Science, and the later equivalent courses in Library Science and in Information Management in the Cultural Sector are described in detail, together with shorter-lived Masters courses in pharmaceutical and health information. The rationale for changes to the courses, and the influence of the professional and educational contexts, are analysed. Issues emerging from this analysis are discussed in seven themes: the nature of the discipline; the library/information spectrum; the student group; the academic/professional balance; curriculum design; local and global issues; and teaching methods. The discussions of the courses are set in the wider context of changes in library/information education over the period in the UK and worldwide