Photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue via Fenton mechanisms by silicon wafer doped with Au and Cu: a theoretical and experimental study

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 44; no. 4; pp. 1029 - 1034
• Main Authors: Ramalho, Teodorico C., Carvalho, Hudson W. P., Batista, Ana P. L., Pérez, Carlos A., Gobbi, Angelo L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.02.2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Catalytic activity; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Copper; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Density functional theory; Doping; Gold; Heat treatment; Hydrogen peroxide; Materials Science; Methylene blue; Photocatalysis; Polymer Sciences; Silicon; Silicon wafers; Solid Mechanics; X-ray fluorescence; Methylene Blue; H2O2 Decomposition; Density Functional Method B3LYP; Photocatalytic Activity; H2O2 Degradation
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-008-3206-9

In this work, we studied the photocatalytic and the structural aspects of silicon wafers doped with Au and Cu submitted to thermal treatment. The materials were obtained by deposition of metals on Si using the sputtering method followed by fast heating method. The photocatalyst materials were characterized by synchrotron-grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and assays of H 2 O 2 degradation. The doping process decreases the optical band gap of materials and the doping with Au causes structural changes. The best photocatalytic activity was found for thermally treated material doped with Au. Theoretical calculations at density functional theory level are in agreement with the experimental data.