Comparative Study of Improvement of Hematite as Visible Light-Driven Photocatalyst by Doping with Zinc and Copper

Abstract

The low cost, earth abundance, nontoxic, and efficient photocatalysts materials have a critical role in order to solve environmental issues. In this regard, hematite (α-Fe2O3) has received significant attention due to its desirable properties. In the present study, zinc-doped and copper-doped hematite nanoparticles were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic features of produced nanopowders were investigated. The evaluations of photocatalytic activities of synthesized nanoparticles were executed by monitoring the degradation rate of Rhodamine B (RhB) under the solar simulator in heterogeneous photocatalysis. Compared to commercial Degussa TiO2 powder, the transition metal doped hematite (α-Fe2O3) samples showed better photocatalytic activities against RhB under the solar simulator. It was observed that even though there were no significant differences in their characteristic properties strongly affecting photocatalytic activity such as morphological features, optical absorption characteristics, and band gaps, Cu-doped α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles exhibited higher photocatalytic activity, which is %20 higher than the Zn-doped α-Fe2O3. The synthesized Cu-doped hematite nanoparticles are hopeful materials as a visible-light-driven photocatalytic material to degrade organic pollutants in aquatic media.

Keywords

• Hematite (α-Fe2O3)
• Zn-doped Hematite
• Cu-doped Hematite
• Heterogeneous Photocatalysis

Görünür-Işık ile Çalışan Fotokatalizör Hematitin Çinko ve Bakır ile Katkılanmasıyla Geliştirilmesinin Karşılaştırmalı İncelenmesi

Abstract

Çevre ile ilgili konuların çözümünde, ucuz, bol bulunan, toksik olmayan ve verimli çalışan fotokatalitik malzemeler kritik role sahiptir. Bu açıdan, hematit (α-Fe2O3) istenen bu özelliklerden dolayı oldukça ilgi çekmektedir. Bu çalışmada, çinko katkılı ve bakır katkılı hematit nanopartiküller hidrotermal yöntem ile sentezlenmiştir. Üretilen nanotozların fotokatalitik özellikleri incelenmiştir. Sentezlenen nanopartiküllerin fotokatalitik aktivitesi güneş simülatörü altında Rodamin b.’yi parçalama performansı izlenerek belirlenmiştir. Geçiş metalleriyle katkılanmış hematit yapıların Rodamin b.’yi (RhB) parçalama verimi, ticari ürün Degussa TiO2 tozlara göre daha yüksekti. Fotokatalitik aktiviteyi güçlü bir şekilde etkileyen ışık absorpsiyonu, morfolojik yapı ve optik bant genişliği gibi özellikler açısından büyük farklar olmasa da, Cu-katkılı α-Fe2O3 nanopartiküllerin, Zn-katkılı α-Fe2O3 nanopartiküllerden %20 kadar daha yüksek fotokatalitik aktive gösterdiği gözlemlendi. Sulu ortamlardaki organik kirliliklerin temizlenmesinde, Cu-katkılı α-Fe2O3 nanopartiküller görünür bölgede aktif fotokatalitik malzeme olarak umut verici bir malzemedir.

Keywords

• Hematit (α-Fe2O3)
• Zn-katkılı hematit
• Cu-katkılı hematit
• Heterojen fotokataliz
• Hematite (α-Fe2O3)
• Zn-doped Hematite
• Cu-doped Hematite
• Heterogeneous Photocatalysis

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