Mesoporous and macroporous Ag-doped Co3O4 nanosheets and their superior photo-catalytic properties under solar light irradiation

Funding Number

1–19)-2018-Oct-01-17-53-22

Funding Sponsor

Islamia University of Bahawalpur

Second Author's Department

Chemistry Department

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.12.121

Document Type

Research Article

Publication Title

Ceramics International

Publication Date

4-1-2021

doi

10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.12.121

Abstract

An ideal photocatalyst should have a wider absorption capacity, a larger surface area, a narrow optical band gap, a better electronic conductivity, a lower load transfer resistance and a minimum charge recombination probability. Herein, mesoporous and macroporous nanosheets of Ag·Co3O4 have been synthesized via a two-step hydrothermal and post-annealing approach. The catalytic activities of the doped and undoped Co3O4 samples were tested and compared using Methylene Blue dye (MB) as a model pollutant. The specific surface area, optical band gap, electrical conductivity, and charge transfer resistance of the fabricated samples were analyzed using BET, UV/Visible, I–V, and EIS analyses. The Ag·Co3O4 sample showed a higher catalytic aptitude than the pristine Co3O4 sample because it degrades comparatively higher concentration of MB dye at a faster rate under natural sunlight irradiation. Specifically, the Ag·Co3O4 sample eliminated 88.4% MB dye at the rate constant (k) of 2.1 × 10−2 min−1 in only 90 min of solar irradiation. The outstanding removal efficiency and higher rate performance of the Ag·Co3O4 sample is attributed to its novel bimodal-porous structure, higher surface area (258 m2 g-1), narrow bandgap (1.55 eV), good electrical conductivity (1.5 × 105 Sm−1) and smaller charge transfer resistance. The exceptional activity of the Ag·Co3O4 sample under solar irradiation reveal its greatest potential to eliminate toxic and harmful dyes from industrial effluents.

First Page

9806

Last Page

9817

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