Improved Sun light photocatalytic activity of α-Fe2O3 prepared with the assistance of CTAB

Abstract

In this paper, α-Fe2O3 photocatalyst with enhanced solar-driven photocatalytic activity was prepared by a facile hydrothermal routine with the assistance of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The surface parameters, the distribution of particle size, structure, morphology, and the photo-induced charge separation rate of the photocatalyst prepared (CTAB-Fe2O3) were characterized by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, particle size analyzer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface photovoltage (SPV) spectroscopy, respectively. The results reveal that CTAB alters the surface parameter and the morphology, decreases the particle size, and enhances the photo-induced charge separation rate of α-Fe2O3. The photocatalytic activity of CTAB-Fe2O3 for decolorization of methyl orange (MO) solution was evaluated. The results show that the photocatalytic activity of CTAB-Fe2O3 is more than five times of that of the reference Fe2O3 and the possible reason was discussed.