Surfactant-assisted formation of robust p-Ag2O – n-BaTiO3 heterojunctions for visible-light photocatalytic applications

• Published in: Applied surface science 2024-05, Vol.655, p.159578, Article 159578
• Main Authors: Chiu, Yen-Lun, Chang, Kao-Shuo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dispersant; Heterojunction; p-Ag2O−n-BaTiO3; Photodegradation; rhodamine B
• ISSN: 0169-4332
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2024.159578

[Display omitted] •• Polyethylene glycol (PEG − 10000) surfactant-assisted dispersion of p-Ag2O particles.•• Fabrication of various p-xAg2O − n-(1 − x)BTO composites through microwave-assisted hydrothermal and precipitation approaches.•• The PEG − 10000-treated composite (x ≈ 63.0 mol%) exhibiting the most promising rhodamine B photodegradability under visible light (almost 100 % degradation in 90 min).•• Energy-band diagram to elucidate the plausible mechanism responsible for the activity.•• Our samples under visible light outperforming other similar literature-reported samples under solar light. This paper reports the use of microwave-assisted hydrothermal and precipitation approaches to prepare a composite from a polyethylene glycol (PEG − 10000) surfactant-assisted dispersion of p-Ag2O particles in conjunction with n-BaTiO3 (n-BTO) for use in visible-light photocatalytic applications. The conductivities of p-Ag2O and n-BTO were determined through Mott–Schottky measurements and verified using energy band diagrams. Various PEG − 10000-treated and untreated (1 − x)BTO − xAg2O (x ≈ 57.0, 63.0, and 75.0 mol%, determined using Rietveld refinement) composites were prepared. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine the valence states and binding energies of the constituent elements in the various composites. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and particle-size distribution measurements revealed that Ag2O is excellently dispersed in the PEG − 10000-treated composite, which exhibited a remarkable surface area (≈10 m2⋅g−1) and pore volume (≈0.05 cm3⋅g−1) at x ≈ 63.0 mol%. All composites exhibited effective and reliable visible-light energy-harvesting capabilities. The PEG − 10000-treated composite (x ≈ 63.0 mol%) exhibited the most promising rhodamine B photodegradability, attributable to the formation of abundant p − n junctions and the effective absorption of visible light. An energy-band diagram was constructed to elucidate the potential mechanism responsible for this remarkable activity. Under visible light, our samples outperformed other similar and representative literature-reported samples under solar light.