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Critical assessment of a Ce-doped SnO2 loaded on PPSAC composite photocatalyst on improved photocatalytic activity under visible light

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Abstract

The photodegradation of organic dye by Ce-doped SnO2-loaded Pongamia pinnata shell-activated carbon (Ce:SnO2/PPSAC) is investigated in this study. Pure SnO2, Ce-doped SnO2 and loaded samples were synthesized using a chemical precipitation technique. The all-product samples were characterized by XRD, XPS, FE-SEM with EDS, FTIR, UV-Vis, PL and EIS analysis. XRD pattern showed that the average crystallite size is reducing (14.19 nm) upon Ce-doping and PPSAC-loading sample compared to the pure SnO2. The band gap decreases (3.47 eV) upon Ce-doping and loading on PPSAC compared to SnO2. Moreover, the separation of the photogenerated charge carriers was improved by the Ce:SnO2/PPSAC, which decreases PL emission intensity. The photocatalytic activity for rhodamine B (RhB) degradation under visible light was investigated. The photodegradation efficiency of Ce:SnO2/PPSAC was found to be 98.94% under 105 min, which was greater than the other samples. The features developed in Ce-doped and loaded PPSAC contribute to the improved photocatalytic activity of Ce:SnO2/PPSAC by reducing the band gap, inhibiting electron-hole recombination, and improving the charge separation of photogenerated carriers. A possible photocatalytic mechanism for the decomposition of RhB was proposed. This study shows that Ce:SnO2/PPSAC is a potentially promising material for wastewater treatment.

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Funding

This work was financially supported by the Researchers Supporting Project number (RSPD2024R993) at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science (SIMATS), Thandalam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 602105, India

    L. Guganathan

  2. Department of Physics, R P Sarathy Institute of Technology, Poosaripatti, Salem, Tamil Nadu, 636305, India

    R. Ramasamy

  3. Department of Physics, Annai College of Arts and Science (Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Trichy), Kovilacheri, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, 612503, India

    K. Sathishkumar

  4. Department of Physics, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam, Erode, Tamil Nadu, 638401, India

    K. Vanitha

  5. King Abdullah Institute For Nanotechnology, King Saud University, P.O. Box-2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Khalid Mujasam Batoo

  6. Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box-2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Ahmed Ahmed Ibrahim

  7. Department of Physics, Government Arts and Science College for Women, Karimangalam, Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, 635111, India

    S. Ragupathy

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  1. L. Guganathan
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Guganathan, L., Ramasamy, R., Sathishkumar, K. et al. Critical assessment of a Ce-doped SnO2 loaded on PPSAC composite photocatalyst on improved photocatalytic activity under visible light. Ionics 30, 2915–2926 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-024-05461-0

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