One-Step Electrochemical Synthesis of Multi-Yolk-Shell Nanocoils for Exceptional Photocatalytic Performance.

Multi-yolk-shell nanostructures have garnered significant interest in various photocatalysis applications such as water splitting and waste treatment. Nonetheless, the complexity and rigorous conditions for the synthesis have hindered their widespread implementation. This study presents a one-step electrochemical strategy for synthesizing multi-yolk-shell nanocoils (mYSNC), wherein multiple cores of noble metal nanoparticles, such as Au, are embedded within the hollow coil-shaped FePO 4 shell structures, mitigating the challenges posed by conventional methods. By capitalizing on the dissimilar dissolution rates of bimetallic alloy nanocoils in an electrochemically programmed solution, we successfully fabricate nanocoils of different shapes and materials, including two variations of mYSNCs. The resulting Au-FePO 4 mYSNCs exhibit exceptional photocatalytic performance for environmental remediation, demonstrating up to 99% degradation of methylene blue molecules within 50 min and 95% degradation of tetracycline within 100 min under ultraviolet-visible light source. This remarkable performance can be attributed to the abundant electrochemical active sites, internal voids facilitating efficient light harvesting with coil morphology, amplified localized surface plasmon resonance at the plasmonic nanoparticle-semiconductor interface, and effective band engineering. The innovative approach utilizing bimetallic alloys demonstrates precise geometric control and design of intricate multicomponent hybrid composites, showcasing the potential for developing versatile hollow nanomaterials for catalytic applications. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.