Extraordinary sensitizing effect of co-doped carbon nanodots derived from mate herb: application to enhanced photocatalytic degradation of chlorinated wastewater compounds under visible light

tThe present work investigates the role of two types of carbon nanodots (CNDs) as novel sensitizers of TiO2to create a visible-light driven photo-catalyst that is not only efficient for solar-driven pollution abate-ment, but also inexpensive, durable and environmentally-friendly. Two widely available green organicprecursors, the Argentinean herb Mate and the Stevia plant have been selected as the carbogenic sourceto thermally induce the formation of different types of CNDs with different levels of N and P doping andtunable photoluminescence response in the UV–vis-near infrared (NIR) ranges. These CNDs have beensuccessfully assembled with TiO2to form heterogeneous photocatalysts that are highly active in thevisible-light and NIR- driven photodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), a persistent chlorinatedorganic compound present in numerous pesticide formulations