Surface nano-heterojunctions of liquid metals for photothermal conversion via solution-based approaches
摘要
Metal oxide heterojunctions have shown considerable potential in applications such as photothermal catalytic degradation and functional photothermal textiles, owing to their unique heterointerface structure, efficient separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and excellent photothermal conversion performance. However, conventional synthesis methods often involve complex procedures, a long experimental period, and scalability issues, which limit their practical application. In this study, we utilize the high surface reactivity, excellent fluidity, and strong metal solubility of eGaInSn liquid metals to dissolve and uniformly disperse Mn, forming GaInSnMn liquid metals. And then mechanically stir it with deionized water at room temperature, the more reactive metals interact with oxygen and oxygen-containing species, leading to the formation of Mn3O4/Ga2O3 heterojunction nanorods. This method does not require a high-pressure environment, eliminates interference from environmental media, and offers potential for large-scale industrial applications. Photothermal performance tests indicate that the photothermal conversion efficiency of GaOOH is 19%, while those of the MnOOH/GaOOH and Mn3O4/Ga2O3 heterojunctions reach 34.7% and 43.4%, respectively, enhancements of approximately 1.82-fold and 2.28-fold compared to the single-component material. These results highlight the superior performance of the heterojunction structures. This research provides a feasible technical path for preparing photothermal functional materials based on liquid metals, highlighting the potential of such materials in the field of photothermal applications.