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Fast and facile sonochemical synthesis of Mg- and Zn-doped PbS nanospheres: optical properties and photocatalytic activity

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Abstract

In this work, Mg2+- and Zn2+-doped PbS nanopowders were synthesized simply and quickly by a sonochemical method. The nanopowders were characterized by X-ray diffraction, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was estimated by methylene blue dye degradation. The sonochemical method produces crystalline PbS particles with cubic structure and free of secondary phases. The use of polyvinylpyrrolidone as a surfactant, and reaction medium at pH 13, results in the formation of nanospheres with diameter ranging from 31.4 to 114.5 nm. Doping favors the absorption of radiation in the visible region, and consequently, reduces the optical bandgap of the PbS. Photocatalytic assays show that magnesium and zinc codoping results in 80% reduction of methylene blue concentration after 180 min, while undoped PbS achieves only 42%. Tests with charge scavengers indicate that holes (h+) act as the main mechanism in the photocatalytic process.

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Acknowledgement

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brasil (CAPES/PROCAD): Finance Code 2013/2998/2014 and Finance Code 001. The authors thank the financial support of the Brazilian research financing institution: CNPq No. 307546/2014, and the technical support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, RGPIN-201904839.

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  1. LSQM, Laboratory of Chemical Synthesis of Materials, Department of Materials Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, UFRN, P.O. Box 1524, Natal, RN, Brazil

    N. F. Andrade Neto, O. B. M. Ramalho, M. R. D. Bomio & F. V. Motta

  2. School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada

    H. Fantucci & R. M. Santos

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  1. N. F. Andrade Neto
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Andrade Neto, N.F., Ramalho, O.B.M., Fantucci, H. et al. Fast and facile sonochemical synthesis of Mg- and Zn-doped PbS nanospheres: optical properties and photocatalytic activity. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 31, 14192–14202 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-03975-7

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