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- Title
Photocatalytic Activity Enhancement of Au-Decorated Polythiophene/CeO<sub>2</sub> Ternary Visible Light Photocatalyst Fabricated by Facile Hydrothermal and Photoreduction Routes.
- Authors
Faisal, M.; Ahmed, Jahir; Algethami, Jari S.; Alsaiari, Mabkhoot; Alkorbi, Ali S.; Harraz, Farid A.
- Abstract
Creation of efficient photocatalysts with effective charge separation skills is a mind-provoking task and requires highly determined efforts. The present study deals with the fabrication of an efficient visible light photocatalyst based on CeO2 nanostructure linked with conducting polymer polythiophene (PTh) and gold (Au NPs) nanoparticles for wastewater treatment. The photocatalyst was developed via hydrothermal approach followed by ultrasonication and photoreduction methodologies. XRD analysis elucidates the existence of face-centered cubic fluorite CeO2 in created photocatalyst while XPS and FTIR investigation satisfactorily confirmed the effectual development of ternary photocatalyst among Au, PTh, and CeO2. TEM studies revealed agglomerated irregular shape of CeO2 nanoparticles (20–150 nm in size) with overlapped PTh layers from 100 to 400 nm in size and Au NPs of size 5–15 nm. The UV–Vis spectroscopic analysis verified a decreased band gap in the Au@PTh/CeO2 photocatalyst. Specifically, the band gap values for CeO2, PTh/CeO2, and Au@PTh/CeO2 were determined to be 2.82, 2.50, and 2.07 eV, respectively. BET surface area for CeO2 and Au@PTh/CeO2 nanostructures was observed to be 8.77 and 57.84 m2/g, respectively, indicating an increment in surface area of Au@PTh/CeO2 ~ 6.6 times than CeO2. Au@PTh/CeO2 was found to be extremely destructive with 94.02% removal of imidacloprid (IMD): an insecticidal derivative just in 45 min, representing 244% more effectual than bare CeO2. Additionally, Au@PTh/CeO2 showed rapid photocatalytic performance on methylene blue (MB) with entire removal of dye in 18 min. Highly promising photocatalytic activity of created ternary photocatalyst might be due to increase in surface area, improved charge transfer, and perfect separation of charge carriers as evidenced from photoluminescence and photocurrent transient measurements.
- Subjects
VISIBLE spectra; PHOTOREDUCTION; FACE centered cubic structure; WASTEWATER treatment; BAND gaps; PHOTOCATALYSTS; METHYLENE blue; IMIDACLOPRID
- Publication
Arabian Journal for Science & Engineering (Springer Science & Business Media B.V. ), 2024, Vol 49, Issue 7, p9477
- ISSN
2193-567X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s13369-024-08864-3