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Enhanced photocatalytic performance and impact of annealing temperature on TiO2/Gd2O3:Fe composite

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Abstract

This work relates to an experimental study concerning the elaboration of the composite material TiO2/Gd2O3:Fe (TiO–Gd:Fe) from powders of Gd2O3 and TiO2 via a ball milling process with different annealing temperatures. The micro-structural and morphological characterizations of the ground Gd2O3−TiO2 mixture as well as the measurements of the optical properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The X-ray results of the TiO–Gd:Fe composites reveal the presence of the TiO2 anatase phase in addition to the Gd2O3 phase. The direct band-gap of TiO–Gd:Fe sample is 3.22 eV for the 350 °C composite and 3.45 eV for the 600 °C composites. The results of FTIR spectroscopy confirm the presence of the TiO2 phase. The results of the photocatalytic tests of the composites show the (C − C0)/C0 ratio goes from 0.05 to 0.71 when the annealing temperature goes from 350 to 600 °C.

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Acknowledgements

This study is a part of a project from The Dean-ship of Scientifc Research, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia (To Dr Norah Alonizan, Grant No: 2019-083-Sc).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Physics of Materials and Nanomaterials Applied at Environment (LaPhyMNE), Faculty of Sciences in Gabes, Gabes University, Gabes, Tunisia

    K. Omri

  2. College of Science and Arts Sajir, University of Shaqra, P.O. Box 33, Shaqra, 11961, Saudi Arabia

    K. Omri

  3. Department of Physics, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia

    N. Alonizan

  4. Basic and Applied Scientific Research Center, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia

    N. Alonizan

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KO performed conceptualization, data analysis, investigation, supervision, reviewing, and editing of the manuscript.

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Omri, K., Alonizan, N. Enhanced photocatalytic performance and impact of annealing temperature on TiO2/Gd2O3:Fe composite. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 15448–15459 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-08451-y

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