Effect of surfactants on the luminescence, bonding, and catalytic properties of CaWO4 spheres

Abstract

BackgroundThis work focuses on improving the luminescence and catalytic properties of CaWO4 spheres by manipulating their electron density distribution. The goal is to enhance their suitability for optoelectronic applications and to increase their efficiency in degrading the industrial dye methylene blue (MB). The study utilizes a co-precipitation technique and the addition of three surfactants to synthesize phase-pure CaWO4 with a tetragonal crystal structure. MethodsThe synthesis involved a co-precipitation technique with simultaneous addition of three surfactants. Extensive characterization employed various analytical and spectroscopic methods to assess structural, morphological, luminescent, and catalytic properties. Particularly, the use of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant induced intense green emission around 500 nm attributed to luminescent center WO42−. Solar irradiation evaluated catalytic performance, with CaWO4: CTAB degrading methylene blue remarkably in just 40 min under natural sunlight. Significant FindingsThe research yielded a CaWO4 material, particularly when assisted by the CTAB surfactant, exhibiting intense green luminescence, making it promising for optoelectronic applications. Furthermore, this material demonstrated remarkable catalytic performance in degrading methylene blue under solar irradiation, suggesting its potential in environmental remediation. The study also delved into electron density distribution by examining differences in bond lengths and mid-bond electron density within a single unit cell, shedding light on the material's underlying properties.