Synthesis, Photocatalytic and Electrocatalytic Activities of Wormlike GdFeO3 Nanoparticles by a Glycol-Assisted Sol–Gel Process

Abstract

Wormlike GdFeO3 (GFO) nanoparticles were synthesized by a glycol-assisted sol–gel rapid calcination process. The as-synthesized GdFeO3 was characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The visible-light-responsive photocatalytic activity of GdFeO3 nanoparticles was evaluated by the photodegradation of Rhodamine B under visible light. The synergism of semiconductor-photocatalyzed oxidation and heterogeneous photo-Fenton-like reaction can markedly promote the photodegradation with a booming catalytic activity (k = 1.2814 h–1). Compared with the bulk, the catalytic activity of the GFO–H2O2 system was improved about 80 times. Meanwhile, the glass carbon electrode decorated with the resulting nanoparticles was used to examine the electrocatalytic behavior for p-nitrophenol reduction in a basic solution. The results show the obtained GdFeO3 nanoparticles with excellent photocatalytic and electrocatalytic activities.