Photocatalytic NaNbO3 crystals in 60B2O3–30Na2O–10Nb2O5 glass for dye degradation

NaNbO₃ crystals were fabricated in the 60B₂O₃–30Na₂O–10Nb₂O₅ glass system. The fabrication of parent glass was done via the melt quench technique, and then crystallization was achieved through controlled heat treatment. The formation of crystallites was successfully observed and confirmed using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The elemental analysis of the present constituent in the glass and glass-ceramics was performed using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The morphological characteristics were investigated through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The transparency of the samples was evaluated by the UV–vis spectroscopy, and it has been established that the samples were transparent even after the partial crystallization. Prepared samples were used to degrade methylene blue dye via photocatalysis. The emergence of glass-ceramics as a photocatalyst has been established with a degradation rate of 68% in 240 min with a rate constant of 4.5 × 10³ min⁻¹.