Enhanced Visible Light-Induced Photocatalytic Activity of BaTiO3-CeO2 Heterojunction Nanocomposite Photocatalysts for the Detoxification of Methyl Orange Dye
摘要
The advancement of exceptionally effective photocatalyst materials for abolishing highly stable organic pollutants, specifically azo dyes, from aquatic settings persisted as highly problematic. To confront this obstacle, we synthesized a fascinating and extremely robust light-responsive nanocomposite photocatalyst designed by the amalgamation of barium titanate (BaTiO3) and cerium oxide (CeO2) to develop a BaTiO3-CeO2 heterojunction photocatalyst with superior photocatalytic action towards methyl orange (MO) degradation. The BaTiO3-CeO2 heterojunction photocatalyst completely degraded MO within 28 min, with a rate constant of 0.1102 min−1 , outperforming bare BaTiO3(59.4%; 0.0326 min−1) and CeO2 (41.7%; 0.0189 min−1) under ideal reaction circumstances ([photocatalyst] = 40 mg, [MO] = 30 mg/L, [pH] = 3). The extraordinary photocatalytic competence of BaTiO3-CeO2 was owing to the heterojunction establishment among BaTiO3 and CeO2 that heightened the light absorbance, minimized the bandgap energy, and promoted charge separation. Radical trapping experiments indicated that •OH and O2•− were the main active species involved in the MO degradation. Besides, the possible S-scheme electron transfer mechanism for the abatement of MO was proposed based on band structures. The BaTiO3-CeO2 heterojunction photocatalyst displays excellent regeneration and adaptability. In conclusion, the present research presents an effective and environmentally friendly heterojunction photocatalyst that offers incredible support for the cleaning of dye-polluted wastewater.
Graphical Abstract