Abstract
This report describes a comparative study of dye degradation under 20-W LED light using the perovskite photocatalyst Calcium Copper Titanate (CCTO) and its compositions (CaxCu3-xTi4O12) (x = 1, 1.5 and 2), synthesized by changing molar ratios of Ca2+ and Cu2+ ions. The 99.74% degradation of Rhodamine Blue (RhB) with composition (x = 1) within 6 h is reflected its better photocatalytic activity than the parent CCTO and other compositions. The band gap energy of the materials 2.18 eV (CCTO), 1.93 eV (x = 1), 2.40 eV (x = 1.5), and 2.55 eV (x = 2) are analysed with UV–Vis spectroscopy. The presences of Ca, Cu, Ti and O in the synthesized photocatalysts are confirmed with Elemental X-ray Dispersive (EDX) analysis. The cubic phases in the polyhedral shape of the materials are detected in X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). This report further observes the defect density concentrations of the materials with Photoluminescence Spectroscopy (PL) and provides the approximate explanation of their dye degradation performance as photocatalysts. The rate constants are found in a first order reaction trend; where the composition (x = 1) shows about 1.683 × 10–2 min−1. The mechanistic understanding of the degradation process is also revisited and rationalized with different scavengers for the process.
Highlights
As we are shifting towards modernization, there is a rapid development of industrialization and urbanization which affects the ecosystem by discharging toxic elements and pollutants into the natural water cycle [1,2]
As a part of structural analysis, Powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD) technique was carried out for CCTO and its compositions (x=1, 1.5, 2), the diffraction pattern was showed in the (ESI, Fig S1)
The diffraction peaks (220), (400), (422) planes was observed, which essentially corresponds to the cubic phase of CCTO, in accordance to the JCPDS No 75-2188 [40]
Summary
As we are shifting towards modernization, there is a rapid development of industrialization and urbanization which affects the ecosystem by discharging toxic elements and pollutants into the natural water cycle [1,2]. The treatment of wastewater is essential to maintain for a pollutant-free ecosystem of aquatic system, and for a sustainable environment to the all living system [3,4,5]. The degradation process of the pollutants requires an active photocatalyst which can be excited by the photons and generate electrons and holes which able to reduce the pollutants [6,7,8,9]. TiO2 have a band gap of 3.2 eV and the material need UV region to show photocatalytic activity. The development of a photocatalyst having a narrow bandgap is one of the crucial properties where visible light can be used in the degradation process. The previously discussed materials have a high rate of recombination of electrons and holes, which limits their uses in the long run
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