Facile hydrothermal synthesis of Sm and Eu doped TiO<inf>2</inf>/graphene oxide nanocomposites for photocatalytic applications

Abstract

LANTHANIDE Sm3+ ions) were (Ln3+) prepared doped by using TiO2 a supported low cost and on Graphene facile hydrothermal oxide (GO) method. (Ln3+ =Eu Structural3+ and morphological and optical properties of the un-doped and Ln3+-doped nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), (SBET) Barrett–Joiner–Halenda surface area analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy (RS) and diffuse reflection spectrometry (DRS). The photocatalytic activities of the catalysts were investigated by studying photo decolorization and photodegradation of Methylene Blue (MB). The XRD results showed that all the TiO2 prepared samples exhibit anatase phase and no other peaks have been observed indicating the absence of impurities in the prepared samples. SEM images demonstrated that the TiO2 nanoparticles are well dispersed on the GO surface. A red shift in the UV-Vis absorption of the prepared samples have been observed suggesting the charge transfer between the dopants and TiO2. The photocatalytic activity results showed that 0.015 mol% Eu3+-doped TiO2/GO nanocomposite possesses the highest photocatalytic activity. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) analysis indorsed the photodegradation results. This promising photocatalyst led to almost complete mineralization of MB dye after only 90 min upon expose to UV light. The results clearly demonstrated the beneficial role of both GO as a supporting material and lanthanide metal ions as dopants on the degradability of MB.