| Abstrakt: |
Estimation of Urbach energy profiles and tailoring the structural and optical properties of semiconducting materials as photocatalysts can be helpful for the effective treatment of wastewater. In this aspect, pure SrFe12O19 and Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19 were synthesized via co-precipitation route, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-based composite of Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19 was synthesized by an ultra-sonication method. The structural analysis of all prepared samples showed a considerable decrease in crystallite size (13.8 nm) for Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19/CNTs nanocomposite as compared to pure SrFe12O19 (20 nm). The bandgap energy of Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19 was decreased to 2.43 eV as compared to SrFe12O19 (2.64 eV), and Urbach energy of Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19/CNTs composite was increased to 1.85 eV as compared to SrFe12O19 (1.56 eV) and Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19 (1.63 eV). Moreover, the results obtained from photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy revealed that the CNTs-based photocatalyst exhibited less electron/hole pair recombination rate as compared to its other counter parts that was further confirmed by its improved photocatalytic efficiency. The photocatalytic activity of SrFe12O19, Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19, and Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19/CNTs composite was determined against bromocresol blue (BCB) and methyl orange (MO) under solar light irradiation of about 60 min. The as fabricated SrFe12O19, Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19, and Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19/CNTs showed about 68%, 79%, and 87.6% degradation of BCB, respectively. In addition, about 65%, 79%, and 92% degradation of MO was observed by SrFe12O19, Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19, and Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19/CNTs, respectively. The estimated results deduce that the outstanding photocatalytic activity of a novel nanocomposite (Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19/CNTs) for both BCB and MO is accredited to the combined effect of narrow bandgap of co-doped SrFe12O19 and high specific surface area, small crystallite size, and high charge separation ability of MWCNTs. Hence, Cu/Gd@SrFe12O19/CNTs composite could be an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of various harmful pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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