Manipulating the HKUST-1 metal-organic framework into a visible light photocatalyst with more than one-hundred-fold increase in degradation of an anionic dye

Quasi-metal-organic frameworks (Q-MOFs) combine the advantages of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and metal oxides into one system. Formed metal oxides during thermal treatment of a quasi-MOF create specific heterojunctions and the diffusion of reactants into its accessible metal active centers promotes adsorption and photocatalytic degradation activities. In this work, a ternary heterojunction type-II/type-II photocatalyst was prepared with the combination of TiO2 and HKUST-1 and then its conversion to quasi-MOF (Cu2O formed in situ during the thermal process). The designed Quasi-TiO2@HKUST (QTH) photocatalytic composite demonstrates 120 times higher adsorption and degradation of Rose Bengal dye than HKUST-1. As a result, at ambient temperature without pH adjustments, 1870 mg. g−1 of contaminants was adsorbed and degraded. It took less than 30 min with a 95 % degradation rate under sunlight to complete the photocatalytic degradation. By using this method, it is possible to produce highly effective ternary heterojunctions by a simple method. Quasi-HKUST, TiO2 and formed Cu2O during thermal treatment of metal-organic framework developed an effective ternary heterojunction type-II/type-II photocatalyst for dye removal. [Display omitted] •Engineering a ternary heterojunction type-II/type-II photocatalyst based on a quasi-HKUST-1.•One-pot conversion of TiO2/HKUST-1 to quasi-MOF composite by thermal treatment.•120 times higher adsorption and degradation of Rose Bengal dye by designed photocatalyst than HKUST-1 under sunlight.•Rapid dye removal in less than 30 min without the need to adjust the temperature or pH value.