Visible light active bismuth chromate/curcuma longa heterostructure for enhancing photocatalytic activity

Abstract

Bismuth chromate nanostructures were fabricated via hydrolysis technique using curcuma longa for enhancing the photocatalytic activity. The analytes have been labelled as Bi₂CrO₆-C, when prepared without using curcuma longa and Bi₂CrO₆-G, prepared using curcuma longa extract (Bi₂CrO₆/Curcuma longa). The as-fabricated catalysts have been confirmed via characterization techniques including X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV–Vis. DRS. The as-synthesised analytes have been evaluated their photocatalytic efficiency via photodegradation of an organic pollutant, Methyl Orange (MO). The current research findings imposed the effect of inculcation of a green extract “curcuma longa” reduces particle size and increases surface area of the material and moreover makes heterostructure with Bismuth chromate and inhibits recombination of photogenerated charges for efficient degradation of the organic pollutant. Bi₂CrO₆-G demonstrates here enhanced photocatalytic activity as compared to Bi₂CrO₆-C.