Pure CdO Research Articles

Studying of cadmium oxide/ Aluminium films for optoelectronics: structural, optical and electrical characteristics

In the results of this research, thin films of CdO-Al were produced using the spray pyrolysis (SP) technique. The primary aim was to explore how varying concentrations of aluminum (Al) influence the physical properties of the films. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of a cubic crystal structure in the pure CdO films. Additionally, it revealed that the introduction of increased Al doping led to lattice shrinkage and a reduction in lattice parameters. Elevated levels of aluminum (Al) content were correlated with a decrease in crystallite size and an augmentation in lattice strain, as indicated by both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. Additionally, an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) examination revealed the presence of Al3+ ions within the films. The optical energy gap of CdO-Al films exhibited a slight increase, reaching up to 3% aluminum doping. The analysis of the refractive index dispersion and non-linear refractive index revealed a decreasing trend up to 3% aluminum content, with subsequent fluctuations at higher concentrations. The measurements of sheet resistance demonstrated a noticeable decrease with an increase in aluminum content, specifically up to 3%.

Fe3O4-CdO Nanocomposite for Organic Dye Photocatalytic Degradation: Synthesis and Characterization

In this study, pure CdO nanoparticles, magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and Fe3O4-CdO nanocomposites were prepared via a solution combustion method using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a template. These prepared nanomaterial samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS), transmittance electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. XRD patterns confirmed the purity and the crystalline nature of the prepared samples. FTIR and Raman spectra observed the metal-oxygen (M-O) bond formation. UV-vis DRS studies were performed to investigate the optical properties and the bandgap energy determination. The surface morphology and the size of the pure CdO nanoparticles, magnetic Fe3O4, and nanocomposites of Fe3O4-CdO were determined via TEM and SEM analysis. Under optimum experimental conditions, the Fe3O4-CdO nanocomposites were applied for photocatalytic activity against Methylene blue dye. Under visible light irradiation, Fe3O4-CdO nanostructures showed an efficient photocatalytic degradation of 92% against Methylene blue organic dye and showed excellent stability for multiple cycles of reuse.

Cadmium oxide nanoparticles doped with nickel and silver: Photocatalytic activity for environmental remediation

In this work, we used a co-precipitation approach to create CdO nanoparticles that were co-doped with nickel (Ni) and silver (Ag). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were employed to assess the structural attributes of the nanoparticles that were synthesized. Co-doping with Ni and Ag resulted in a steady rise in nanoparticle crystallite size, increasing from 20.97 nm to 32.16 nm. Following the co-doping procedure, FESEM pictures demonstrated a morphological shift from tiny, rock-like formations in pure CdO to bigger rock-like structures. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was utilised to explore the compositional characteristics of Ni and Ag-doped CdO nanoparticles. The existence of particles’ agglomerations was observed, which may have limited the real surface area available for gas adsorption and resulted in smaller apparent pore sizes in the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) investigation. Diffused Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) revealed a decline in the band gap from 2.45eV to 2.30eV, which was most likely caused by structural changes caused by cadmium ion replacement or the occupancy of interstitial spaces within the lattice by nickel and silver ions. The chemical and electronic states of the atoms were assessed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which examined the formation of defects in the form of oxygen vacancies, which contributed to accelerated photocatalytic performance. The deterioration of Crystal Violet (CV) dye during sunlight exposure utilising co-doped CdO nanoparticles vs pristine CdO is being evaluated in the evaluation of photocatalytic activity. Notably, co-doped nanoparticles improved photocatalytic activity significantly, with CV degradation reaching up to 95 % within 180 min of exposure. The potential of Ni and Ag impregnated CdO nanoparticles as effective photocatalysts for environmental remediation applications is highlighted in this study.

Investigation on structural, morphological, optical, magnetic properties of CdO-CoFe2O4 nanocomposites and their photocatalytic application

The nanoparticles of pure CdO and CoFe2O4 were synthesized by co- precipitation technique and the composites [(CdO)x- CoFe2O4)1−x] [(DF1 (x = 0.6), DF2 (x = 0.4), DF3(x = 0.2)] were synthesized via sono chemical route. X- ray diffraction (XRD) study validated the presence of two phases in the material. The crystallite size calculated using Debye Scherrer equation were in nano range having size from 8 nm to 59 nm. The morphological and compositional studies of the synthesized material are done by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) respectively. EDS spectroscopy confirms the conversion of initial precursor salts into final material according to their stoichiometric ratios. The optical properties of the material were examined by ultra violet – visible (UV-Vis) Spectroscopy. Further, Tauc’s plot was employed to obtain the band gap of the material. The band gap (2.5 to 2.9 eV) falls within the range of visible light (typically 400 to 700 nm). This means that the material can effectively absorb visible light photons, which is a crucial requirement for many photocatalytic reactions. The cationic and anionic bonding at different interstitial sites was revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The magnetic properties of the material were examined through Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). M-H curve gives information about saturated magnetization (Ms), coercivity (Hc) and retentivity (Mr) etc of the material. The maximum obtained values for Ms, Hc and Mr are 41.921 emu/g, 1651.6 Oe and 14.2 emu/g respectively, which confirm the ferrimagnetic nature of the material. The photocatalytic activity of the material under ultraviolet region is evaluated for Methylene Blue (MB) dye. The best photocatalytic results were shown by DF1 sample with discoloration efficiency of 84.5%. The active participation of hydroxyl ion (OH-) and singlet oxygen ion (O2-) is confirmed through scavenger test using Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and Disodium ethylene diaminne tetraacetic acid (EDTA 2NA) respectively. The dye removal kinetics was tested by using various order rate models. Further to check the stability of the material, recycling efficiency of the material has been calculated for four consecutively cycle.

Optical and antibacterial activity analysis of pure, Fe-doped, and glucose-capped transparent semiconducting nanoparticles of cadmium and zinc oxides

CdO (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) are known for their high surface area and quantum confinement. In this paper, there is a discussion on the synthesis of pure, Fe-doped, and glucose-capped CdO (ZnO) NPs by the precipitation method. Their structural and optical properties were studied with the help of XRD, SEM, FTIR, and UV–Vis spectrometry. A single phase with hexagonal (cubic) structures was obtained from their XRD patterns. The pure, Fe-doped, and glucose-capped CdO (ZnO) had crystallite sizes of 15.89, 15.33, and 11.19 nm (1.66, 1.01, and 1.78 nm) obtained from XRD. Their FTIR data agreed well with their XRD data. The particles were spherical. The energy bandgap of CdO (ZnO) was 3.78, 3.65, and 3.63 eV (3.82, 3.80, and 3.63 eV) for pure, Fe-doped, and capped samples, respectively, obtained with the help of photoluminescence. The inhibition zones are found to be 11, 7, and 13 (12, 10, and 7), respectively.

Co-precipitation synthesis of highly pure and Mg-doped CdO nanoparticles: from rod to sphere shapes.

This study reports a facile approach for examining surface morphology transitions in semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs), with a focus on pristine and magnesium-doped cadmium oxide NPs. Mg-doped CdO NPs are synthesized via co-precipitation, and their composition, structure, and elemental distribution are analyzed through X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectra, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), along with optical characterization and impedance analysis. Doping with Mg2+ changes the morphology from rod-like to quasi-spherical, reduces the crystallite size, and impacts their structural and functional properties. Optical transmittance analysis revealed that Mg2+ doping resulted in a reduction of the band gap energy. Impedance spectroscopy demonstrates improved dielectric constant and electrical conductivity for Mg-doped CdO NPs. The Nyquist plots show grain effects and the equivalent circuit analysis corresponds to a R(CR)(CR) circuit. These advancements point to the potential of spherical Mg-doped CdO NPs in semiconductor applications due to their superior structural and functional characteristics.

Effect of Creating Oxygen Deficiency on the Optical Characteristics of CdO: A DFT based theoretical study

This study presents detailed computational research using density functional theory (DFT) with the PBE-GGA functional and Material Studio software to investigate the optical characteristics of pure CdO and oxygen-deficient CdO at the supercellular level. The study optimizes the structures of both CdO configurations with convergence tests which are confirmed result with structural deviations of 4.1% for simple CdO and 4.2% for oxygen-deficient CdO, respectively. The optical characteristics are afterwards examined, including the conductivity, loss function, dielectric function, and refractive index. The dielectric function for both structures exhibits distinct features, with significant absorption peaks in the region of 2.9-10 eV for oxygen-deficient CdO and a band gap at 2.58 eV for simple CdO, according to the research. The refractive index remains constant at lower energies while the conductivity curves show excitonic behavior on inducing oxygen deficiency at the supercellular level. In addition to this, the loss function exhibits peaks indicating various excitations and absorption activities. It is worth mentioning here that understanding these properties contributes to the development of optical devices, and the computational approach offers a powerful tool for atomic-level investigations.

Characterization of nanocrystalline CdO prepared by solution combustion method for photocatalytic and fluorescence sensing applications

Here we report the characterization of pure CdO nanoparticles prepared by solution combustion method and annealed in air at 285, 385 and 485 °C. XRD study reveals their high crystallinity, face centred cubic (FCC) structure, and crystallite size as 43, 44 and 45 nm respectively. Cd and CdO2 impurity phases are detected in 285 and 485 °C annealed samples, while no impurity phase appeared in 385 °C annealed sample. Change in surface morphology of CdO in response of annealing treatment and typical grain-size ranging from 30 to 120 nm have been obtained from FESEM and TEM images. XPS, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy techniques provide strong evidence of the chemistry of these materials. Optical studies indicate a blue-shift in energy bandgap by ∼19, 26 and 27% for 285, 385 and 485 °C annealed samples when compared with the bulk CdO (2.2 eV). These materials when studied for the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB) and picric acid (PA) under UV illumination and for fluorescence quenching of PA indicate that 385 °C annealed sample is the most effective towards these applications, despite increase in the optical bandgap. Degradation of MO, MB and PA, with rate constant: 31.6 × 10−3, 24.54 × 10−3 and 22.68 × 10−3 min−1 respectively, and detection of PA with limit of detection (LOD): 1.85, 1.44, and 1.64 μM for 285, 385 and 485 °C annealed samples were obtained. This work demonstrates that increase in electron degeneracy and improved crystallinity in 385 °C annealed oxygen-deficient nanostructured CdO both are contributing factors for the observed enhanced performances. To be more specific, this is possible contribution of charge carrier separation in consequence of UV light excitation that presumably occurred due to Burstein – Moss effect.

Novel ZnO/CdO heterostructure for high efficiency formaldehyde sensing with high response and low detection limit at low temperature

ZnO/CdO heterostructure nanocomposites were synthesized using a simple stirring method at room temperature combined with subsequent calcination. The ZnO/CdO nanocomposites-based sensors displayed higher selectivity and higher response at lower optimal operation temperature to formaldehyde gas than pure ZnO and CdO. Especially, the sensor based on the ZnO/CdO prepared with 0.2 g CdSO4 (ZnO/CdO-3 sensor) showed a response value of 104 to 50 ppm HCHO at 150 °C, which is around 5.9 times that of the pristine ZnO sensor. In addition, the ZnO/CdO-3 sensor showed a low experimental detection limit of 100 ppb and relatively good humidity resistance. Moreover, the sensor can work at even lower working temperature with high response, for example, the response is 7.5 to 50 ppm HCHO at 90 °C. The doping of CdO and the synergistic effect of the n-n heterojunction at the interface are the main reasons contributing to the improvement of HCHO sensing property.

Comment on “Optical and electrochemical properties of pure and Ti-doped CdO nanoparticles for device applications -Materials Science and Engineering B 281 (2022) 115754”

The authors of recently published “Materials Science and Engineering B 281(2022)115754” try to estimate the optical conductivity (σ) using the refractive index (n) and the absorption coefficient (α) values through this relationship (σ = αn/4π). Unfortunately, this equation in this form is incorrect whether in Gaussian (G) or Standard International (SI) units due to the dimensions are not the same on the two sides of this relation. Such relationship must be corrected to the following form (σ = αnc/4π where c is the light velocity), which agree with that published in textbooks and research papers. According to the Gaussian system σ is measured by s-1 while the authors use Scm-1 units (see the Y-axis units of Figure 5) which corresponding standard international (SI) units. Such Scm−1 units should be corrected to s-1 or multiplied by the term (4πεo where εo=8.85×10-12Fm-1) which is the transformation factor form Gaussian to SI units.

Growth of TiO2–CdO coated films: A brief study for optoelectronic applications

Current work reports the deposition of pure and TiO2 doped CdO printed films on glass substrate via cost-effective screen-printing method and then sintered at 550 °C for 10 min. The pure TiO2, CdO and TiO2–CdO coated films were used to investigate the structural, morphological and opto-electrical properties by different analytical techniques. X-ray diffraction pattern of polycrystalline doped analogue confirms the existence of TiO2 anatase phase and cubic phase of CdO with a maximum diffraction of (101) plane. Surface morphology is derived from scanning electron microscopy finding out porous images along with EDS results to confirm the desired composition. The spectra of UV–Vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence absorbance peaks show a red shift due to change in reflectance. IR transmittance spectra recorded in 4000-400 cm−1 region exhibits the stretching modes of O–Ti–O and Cd–O groups present in these samples. The current vs. voltage (IV) characteristics and direct current conductivity measurement shows p-n junction diode behaviour. All the parameters were calculated and described in-depth, including structural, optical and electrical properties. The obtained results suggest that TiO2–CdO thick film could be used in optoelectronic applications due to the shift in optical radiation absorption to visible region, reduction in recombination rate of charge carriers and increase in electrical conductivity.

Synthesis and characterization of graphitic carbon nitride composite with NiFe2O4/CdO for photocatalytic treatment of diclofenac sodium and crystal violet

Herein, we report the photocatalytic degradation of anti-inflammatory drug i.e. diclofenac sodium, and organic dye i.e. crystal violet by CdO nanoparticles, NiFe2O4 nanoparticles, CdO/NiFe2O4, and ternary composite of CdO/NiFe2O4/g-C3N4. The easy/facile co-precipitation method was employed for the synthesis of nanoparticles, and their binary and ternary composite was fabricated by an ultra-sonication method. Characterization techniques used were XRD, FTIR, and SEM for the structural, functional group, and morphological analysis respectively. UV–Visible measurements were performed to determine the band gap energy of as-synthesized photocatalysts, and also to examine degradation efficiency of materials against crystal violet and diclofenac sodium under visible light source. Experimental analysis shows that the ternary nanocomposite of CdO/NiFe2O4/g-C3N4 has shown better photodegradation activity of 86% and 84% towards the diclofenac sodium and crystal violet respectively as compared to pure CdO and NiFe2O4 nanoparticles, and their binary composite. The improved degradation efficiency of ternary nanocomposite i.e. CdO/NiFe2O4/g-C3N4 is due to its high surface area/more active sites provided by g-C3N4 sheets for trapping of electrons in order to avoid electron/hole recombination and also to species for degradation. Hence, CdO/NiFe2O4/g-C3N4 nanocomposite could be a promising material in future to degrade other organic pollutants/dyes.

Effect of Indium Doping on Structural Properties of Spray Pyrolysed Cadmium Oxide Thin Films

Pure films of cadmium oxide and indium-doped cadmium oxide films were deposited using a spray pyrolysis technique. The deposited films were structurally characterised using the X-ray diffraction method. The structural studies revealed that films are polycrystalline in nature with a cubic lattice. The decrease in particle size from 42 nm to 34 nm was observed as dopant was introduced. For pure CdO thin films, the band gap energy obtained was of the order of 2.58 eV, and it decreased to 2.32 eV with the addition of dopant.

Novel (Y2O3) x (CdO) 1-x binary mixed oxide nanocomposites: facile synthesis, characterization, and photocatalysis enhancement

In the current study, novel (Y2O3) x (CdO) 1-x mixed oxides nanocomposites (NCs) with different Y2O3 loadings (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) have been synthesized via a facile precipitation approach. The structural analysis by x-ray diffraction reveals that both pure CdO nanoparticles (NPs) and (Y2O3) x (CdO) 1-x NCs possess crystalline and cubic-phase purity. The crystallite size in the mixing nanocomposition (NCs) ranged from 45 to 52 nm based on the concentration of Y2O3 in the NCs. The morphologies of CdO NPs and (Y2O3) x (CdO) 1-x NCs were studied using field emission scanning electron microscopy. This confirmed that the collected NCs had an irregular semi-spherical morphology. It was established, based on the Tauc figure, that the optical band gap of the produced NCs had lowered from 3.35 to 2.96. Testing conducted by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) reveals that an increase in surface area and pore volume following the addition of Y2O3 is indicative of increased porosity. UV-vis spectroscopy's optical study reveals that Y2O3 loading significantly improves the photocatalytic activities of (Y2O3) x (CdO) 1-x NCs. The photodegradation efficiency of methylene blue (MB) was higher (94.6%) for the (Y2O3) 0.2 (CdO) 0.8 NCs under solar irradiation compared to (45.6%) for pure CdO NPs. The (Y2O3) 0.2 (CdO) 0.8 NCs photocatalyst was stable in six cycles of MB degradation, according to a study on reusability. Optimal Y2O3 loading in the photocatalytic system is responsible for the boost in photocatalytic activity due to the system's high BET-surface area, narrow size distribution, and narrow energy band gap.

Synthesis and Characterization of some metals (Sn, Ni, Zn and Co) doped with CdO Nanoparticles by Co-Precipitation method for super capacitor applications

In this present investigation, a set of pure and some metals doped Cadmium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by the way of co-precipitation method. The precursor materials used in this current work were cadmium nitrate, tin (II) chloride, nickel acetate, zinc acetate dihydrate and cobalt (II) chloride has been make uses of a precursor materials. The as-synthesized nanopowders were characterized by XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis and SEM analysis. The X-Ray Diffraction patterns revealed a polycrystalline having the characteristic peaks are well matched with the phase purity of cubic structure. Scanning Electron Microscope exhibit surface morphology, Fourier Transform Infrared spectrum has affirmed the presence of the functional groups present in the pure and metals doped cadmium oxide nanoparticles. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) and Ultra Violet-Vis near Infra measurement studies were carried out to optical properties and band gap of the materials. The band gaps of the materials were observed to be 2.47 eV for pure CdO, 2.32 eV for metals doped CdO which were appraise from Tauc’s plot. The average particle diameter of CdO nanoparticles was measured in the nanometer range using a dynamic light scattering (DLS) particle size analyzer. The magnetic properties to express vibrating sample magnetometer studies (VSM). The uppermost electrochemical capacitance implementation is using Cyclic Voltammetry analysis, which indicates capable electrode materials for electrochemical super capacitor applications.

Advanced Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Generation by CdO-g-C3N4 in Aqueous Medium under Visible Light.

Herein, hydrothermal fabrication of CdO-g-C3N4 photocatalyst for a substantially better photocatalytic recital in water splitting is presented. The XRD analysis confirms the cubic phase of CdO-g-C3N4, whereas FTIR and UV-VIS studies revealed the presence of respective groups and a median band gap energy (2.55 eV) of the photocatalyst, respectively, which further enhanced its photo-electrochemical (PEC) properties. The SEM displays the oblong structures of g-C3N4 sheets and nano rod-like morphology of CdO and CdO-g-C3N4, respectively. The HR-TEM exhibits morphology & orientation of the grains and substantiates the polycrystal-line nature of CdO-g-C3N4 nanocomposite. The photocatalytic water-splitting concert is evaluated by PEC experiments under 1 SUN visible light irradiation. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) comprehend the CdO-g-C3N4 as a hydrogen evolution photocatalyst. A photocurrent density beyond ≥5 mA/cm2 is recorded from CdO-g-C3N4, which is 5-6 folds greater than pure CdO and g-C3N4. The efficient separation and transfer of charges allocated to CdO-g-C3N4 and fabricating heterojunctions between g-C3N4 and CdO suppresses the unfavorable electron-hole pairs recombination process. Thus, it recesses charge transfer resistance, augmenting enhanced photocatalytic performance under 1 SUN irradiation.

Examination of Structural and Electrical Properties of CuO‐Doped CdO Nanocomposites Produced by the Hydrothermal Method

AbstractIn this study, pure CdO and CdO‐CuO nanopowders with different dopant concentrations are synthesized by the hydrothermal method. Structural properties of the nanopowders are characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), morphological properties and elemental analyses are characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), optical properties are characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, and electrical properties are characterized by the current–voltage technique. XRD data show that nanopowders are polycrystalline and crystallinity decreases with the doping concentration. In the analysis of FESEM images, it can be concluded that the morphology of the particles is shaped as needle‐like, spherical‐like, and randomly oriented nanorods forms from the cube form. Also, by joining those nanorods, spherical‐like microstructures occur, and while the dopant concentration increases, echinus‐like forms are obtained. The energy bandgap of the nanopowders decreases with an increased dopant concentration of CuO. It is observed that the dopant concentration of CuO also changes the electrical properties.

Effect of Ag doping on structural, morphological and optical properties of CdO nanostructured thin films

Pure CdO nanostructured thin films and Ag doped with 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 wt% doping concentrations were fabricated successfully on glass substrates with a cost-effective spin coating technique. The prepared films exhibit a cubic crystal structure oriented along (111) plane. The surface morphology of the pure CdO films shows a cauliflower shape structure, becomes granular, and compact at high Ag doping concentration. Raman spectra of the films reveal LO (longitudinal optical) and TO (transverse optical) vibration modes at 406.80 cm−1 and 566.54 cm−1. The absorption of the films significantly varies with Ag doping concentrations and as a result, the electronic structure of the films is tailored. Moreover, the optical band gaps vary in the range of 1.42–1.70 eV. In addition, the optical parameters n, k were studied in correlation with Ag doping concentrations. The obtained room temperature photoluminescence spectra of the prepared films show a broad peak at ∼350 nm. The third order nonlinear optical parameters of the films were also examined systematically.

Construction of mesoporous CdO/g-C3N4 nanocomposites for photooxidation of ciprofloxacin under visible light exposure

Mesoporous CdO/g-C3N4 nanocomposites have been constructed and applied in the photooxidation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) through illumination by visible light. The nanocomposite exhibits superior efficiency when compared to pure mesoporous CdO or pure g-C3N4. CdO incorporation onto g-C3N4 resulted in uniform dispersion of 7–13 nm onto layered g-C3N4 nanosheets. The photocatalytic CIP oxidation efficiency increased from 35% to 100% within 120 min with the use of 1–4% CdO/g-C3N4 nanocomposites. The photocatalytic CIP oxidation efficiency of the mesoporous 3.0% CdO/g-C3N4 nanocomposite is 4.5- and 10.0-fold greater than that of bare CdO and g-C3N4 nanosheets. Higher efficiency was a result of several factors: a perfect crystalline structure, a high surface area, a narrow bandgap, a mesoporous structure with uniformly dispersed CdO nanoparticles, and Z-scheme photocatalysis. The CdO/g-C3N4 photocatalyst was chemically stable and showed no reduction in efficiency after five applications. The findings exhibit a pathway for the fabrication of new materials that can promote Z-scheme photocatalysis with possible applications in pollutant remediation utilizing minimum energy due to the use of visible light.

High performance nanohybrid CeO2@2D CdO plates with suppressed charge recombination: Insights of photoluminescence, visible-light photocatalysis, intrinsic mechanism and antibacterial activity

The construction of CdO-based nano-heterojunction photocatalyst gathers more attention since pure CdO suffers rapid e−/h+ pair recombination rate. In this study, CdO/CeO2 was fabricated by sono-chemical synthesis. HRTEM depicts the decoration of CeO2 on nanoplates like CdO. The crystalline structure of CdO/CeO2 nanocomposites (NCs) with coexistence of CdO and CeO2 was revealed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis. The chemical states of NCs were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The narrow bandgap of 2.67 eV enhance the visible light photon absorption ability. In accordance with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, it is evident that compared to individual particles the prepared NCs have a high surface area of 260.73 m2/g. The type II interface in CdO/CeO2 NCs facilitates e−/h+ pair migration and charge carrier separation. The reduced e−/h+ pair recombination was ensured by photoluminescence analysis. Under visible light, the NCs showed excellent photocatalytic activity compared to individual particles. The particles showed 87.6% degradation of methylene blue (MB) in 180 min. The scavengers study revealed the major role of ·OH and h+ in MB photodegradation. The CdO/CeO2 NCs possessed high stability even after six cycles and XRD of recycled particles confirmed the resistance of NCs towards photo-corrosion. In addition, NCs showed excellent anti-bacterial activity. Finally, it could be suggested that CdO/CeO2 NCs can find potential applications in industrial water treatment processes and in self cleaning materials due to its high stability and active nature.