Gold anchoring to CuFe2F8(H2O)2 oxyfluoride for robust sono-photodegradation of Rhodamine-B

Abstract

This work presents mixed-anion blends (e.g., oxynitrides and oxysulfides) as prospective representatives for visible-light sono-photocatalyst. While generally tolerate oxidative degradation of photogenerated holes causes to medium durability and stability. Hence, an exceptionally stable, mixed-anion oxyfluoride photocatalyst was designed and prepared based on CuFe2F8(H2O)2, decorated by gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) as a sink for photogenerated electron and sacrificial electron mediator. Electrochemical analysis revealed Au-NPs can appearance Schottky barriers with CuFe2F8(H2O)2, injection of electrons into CuFe2F8(H2O)2, cause to electron capturing at profound surface pitfall states of CuFe2F8(H2O)2. Au-NPs sensitized CuFe2F8(H2O)2 were applied as a robust photocatalyst in pairs with ultrasound (US) waves for Rhodamine B (RhB) dye degradation. Quenching investigations indicated that •OH and •O2− were productive species for RhB degradation on Au/CuFeF8(H2O)2 which the kinetics of it was the first order and fitted to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. This study displays the first type of sonophotocatalytic decomposition (SPD) of an organic dye driven by visible-light excitation of a metal-doped oxyfluoride with Schottky barrier and surface plasmonic resonance (SPR).