Facile preparation of PbCrO4 and PbCrO4/Ag nanostructure as an effective photocatalyst for degradation of organic contaminants

Abstract

Pure monoclinic lead chromate nanoparticles ware prepared via a new simple way with lead nitrate and chrome chloride as Pb and Cr sources. For the first time, nanostructured lead chromate was synthesized with utilizing triethylenepantamine as a new alkaline agent. The citric acid, succinic acid, maleic acid and benzene tricarboxylic acid as stabilization agent and capping agent in presence of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol as connecting agent were employed to prepare of the lead chromate. The as-prepared nanostructured PbCrO4 and PbCrO4/Ag was analyzed by UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). To examining the influence of various stabilization agents, connecting agent and alkaline agents on the morphology, grain size and photocatalytic performance of PbCrO4, different experiments were performed. The effects of various factors including kind of contamination, grain size of PbCrO4 nanostructures and pH on photocatalytic behavior of products was evaluated. Rhodamine B, methylene blue, methyl orange and murexide were used as pollutant model. It was observed that by using of PbCrO4/Ag nanostructure instead PbCrO4 nanoparticles the photocatalytic activity from 53 to 67 increased. Also by decreasing of pH from 7 to 5 destruction percentage of rhodamine B from 67 to 55 decreased.