Solution-processed CeO2/TiO2 nanocomposite as potent visible light photocatalyst for the degradation of bromophenol dye

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Vol. 247; pp. 193 - 198
• Main Authors: Ameen, Sadia, Shaheer Akhtar, M., Seo, Hyung-Kee, Shin, Hyung-Shik
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.07.2014
• Subjects: Mass spectroscopy; Nanocomposite; Pollutant; Surfaces; TiO2–CeO2; Surfaces; Pollutant; Mass spectroscopy; TiO2–CeO2; Nanocomposite
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2014.02.104

•Effective photocatalyst of CeO2–TiO2 nanocomposite is synthesized by solution process.•CeO2–TiO2 nanocomposite shows embedded hexagonal CeO2 particles with small TiO2 nanoparticles.•CeO2–TiO2 nanocomposite shows enormously high degradation of Bph-dye by ∼72% within 3h.•Mass results explain the formation of intermediates during the photocatalytic reaction. A solution-processed cerium oxide (CeO2)–titanium oxide (TiO2) nanocomposite was utilized as an effective visible-light driven photocatalyst for the photodegradation of bromophenol (Bph) dye. The structural and the morphological properties revealed good interaction between CeO2 and TiO2 nanomaterials in CeO2–TiO2 nanocomposite. The CeO2–TiO2 nanocomposite showed enhanced optical properties with significant red shift after the addition of CeO2 nanoparticles. The CeO2–TiO2 nanocomposite as photocatalyst accomplished enormously high degradation of Bph-dye by ∼72% within 3h under visible-light illumination. The improved degradation might attribute to the higher adsorption capacity and the better ē–h+ pair separation under light illumination.