Enhanced photocatalytic performance of CeO2/ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposite: Role of reduced bandgap and core-shell heterojunction morphology

IF 3.8 3区材料科学 Q2 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Optical Materials Pub Date : 2025-03-27 DOI:10.1016/j.optmat.2025.116990

S.M. Fathima Khyrun , A. Jegatha Christy , Suresh Sagadevan

{"title":"Enhanced photocatalytic performance of CeO2/ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposite: Role of reduced bandgap and core-shell heterojunction morphology","authors":"S.M. Fathima Khyrun , A. Jegatha Christy , Suresh Sagadevan","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2025.116990","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photocatalysis under the visible light irradiation is an economically viable technique for addressing environmental contaminants. A ternary nano-photocatalyst, CeO<sub>2</sub>/ZnO/TiO<sub>2</sub> (CZT-TNPC), was synthesized using the solution combustion method. XRD analysis has confirmed the crystallinity and the formation of distinct CeO<sub>2</sub>, ZnO, and TiO<sub>2</sub> phases, with the average crystallite size and band gap calculated as 22.76 nm and 2.62 eV, respectively. The FTIR analysis has revealed the presence of metal-oxygen bonds at 501 cm<sup>−1</sup>. Photoluminescence (PL) studies have indicated a lower recombination rate of charge carriers, contributing to enhanced photocatalytic activity. Raman analysis further verified the structural properties and interaction between the oxide phases, essential for the heterojunction formation. SEM images have exhibited spherical-floret morphology, while EDAX confirmed the elemental composition of the nanocomposite. HRTEM micrographs showed the core-shell heterojunction nanostructure of CZT-TNPC, and the SAED pattern has depicted its polycrystalline nature and growth direction. The CZT-TNPC nanocomposite demonstrated significant antibacterial activity, with an inhibition zone of approximately 18 mm. Photocatalytic studies for Methylene Blue (MB) dye degradation under visible light irradiation have resulted with a maximum degradation efficiency of 97.02 % at 90 min, following pseudo-first-order kinetics. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is attributed to the reduced band gap, core-shell heterojunction morphology, and efficient charge separation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"163 ","pages":"Article 116990"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Optical Materials","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925346725003507","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Photocatalysis under the visible light irradiation is an economically viable technique for addressing environmental contaminants. A ternary nano-photocatalyst, CeO₂/ZnO/TiO₂ (CZT-TNPC), was synthesized using the solution combustion method. XRD analysis has confirmed the crystallinity and the formation of distinct CeO₂, ZnO, and TiO₂ phases, with the average crystallite size and band gap calculated as 22.76 nm and 2.62 eV, respectively. The FTIR analysis has revealed the presence of metal-oxygen bonds at 501 cm⁻¹. Photoluminescence (PL) studies have indicated a lower recombination rate of charge carriers, contributing to enhanced photocatalytic activity. Raman analysis further verified the structural properties and interaction between the oxide phases, essential for the heterojunction formation. SEM images have exhibited spherical-floret morphology, while EDAX confirmed the elemental composition of the nanocomposite. HRTEM micrographs showed the core-shell heterojunction nanostructure of CZT-TNPC, and the SAED pattern has depicted its polycrystalline nature and growth direction. The CZT-TNPC nanocomposite demonstrated significant antibacterial activity, with an inhibition zone of approximately 18 mm. Photocatalytic studies for Methylene Blue (MB) dye degradation under visible light irradiation have resulted with a maximum degradation efficiency of 97.02 % at 90 min, following pseudo-first-order kinetics. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is attributed to the reduced band gap, core-shell heterojunction morphology, and efficient charge separation.

Abstract Image

查看原文本刊更多论文

CeO2/ZnO/TiO2纳米复合材料光催化性能的增强：减小带隙和核壳异质结形态的作用

在可见光照射下进行光催化是一种经济可行的处理环境污染物的技术。采用溶液燃烧法制备了CeO2/ZnO/TiO2三元纳米光催化剂（CZT-TNPC）。XRD分析证实了材料的结晶度，形成了不同的CeO2、ZnO和TiO2相，平均晶粒尺寸为22.76 nm，带隙为2.62 eV。FTIR分析显示在501 cm−1处存在金属-氧键。光致发光（PL）研究表明，载流子的重组率较低，有助于增强光催化活性。拉曼分析进一步验证了结构性质和氧化相之间的相互作用，这对异质结的形成至关重要。SEM图像显示出球形小花形态，而EDAX证实了纳米复合材料的元素组成。HRTEM显微图显示了CZT-TNPC的核壳异质结纳米结构，SAED图描述了其多晶性质和生长方向。CZT-TNPC纳米复合材料显示出明显的抗菌活性，其抑制区约为18 mm。在可见光照射下降解亚甲基蓝（MB）染料的光催化研究结果表明，在90分钟内，根据准一级动力学，降解效率最高为97.02%。增强的光催化性能归因于减小带隙，核壳异质结形态和有效的电荷分离。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Optical Materials 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

6.60

自引率

12.80%

发文量

1265

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： Optical Materials has an open access mirror journal Optical Materials: X, sharing the same aims and scope, editorial team, submission system and rigorous peer review. The purpose of Optical Materials is to provide a means of communication and technology transfer between researchers who are interested in materials for potential device applications. The journal publishes original papers and review articles on the design, synthesis, characterisation and applications of optical materials. OPTICAL MATERIALS focuses on: • Optical Properties of Material Systems; • The Materials Aspects of Optical Phenomena; • The Materials Aspects of Devices and Applications. Authors can submit separate research elements describing their data to Data in Brief and methods to Methods X.