Photocatalytic properties of niobia and ceria doped zirconia nanoparticles as water decontaminant for removal of p-nitrophenol

Abstract

The present study has investigated the synthesis and characterization of some nanostructured zirconia samples doped with Nb2O5 and Ce2O3 as impurities. The samples were completely characterized using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) techniques. The samples exhibited pure tetragonal phase in both temperature conditions used in this investigation (600 and 900 °C) which is the most active phase of zirconia in catalytic processes. The photocatalytic activities of the newly synthesized materials were examined toward the 10 ppm solution of p-nitrophenol as a poisonous organic dye. The photodegradation processes were monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy using the maximum wavelength of absorbance spectrum of the p-Nitrophenol at around 320 nm. Using the obtained UV–vis spectra series, the rates of photodegradation were calculated for the samples. Finally, the effects of calcination temperature and amount of dopant on the photocatalytic activity of the zirconia nanophotocatalyst were investigated.