Defect engineering for improved photocatalytic performance of reduced lead titanate (PbTiO3) under solar light irradiation

Abstract

Lead titanate (PbTiO₃) nanoparticles were prepared successfully by template free hydrothermal  method. Size, crystallinity, morphology and phase determination of the nanoparticles were made by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). FESEM results had shown that all nanoparticles were in the range between 20 to 40 nm size and found in the form of agglomerates. The average crystallite size of PbTiO₃ nanoparticles was calculated to be nearly 35 nm. PbTiO₃ nanoparticles were reduced by hydrogenation at high temperature to make the material active for visible light. Furthermore, optical absorbance of PbTiO₃ nanoparticles was determined by applying ultraviolet-visible-near infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) spectroscopy. By using Davis-Mott model, the direct optical band gap of 2.65 eV was acquired. Methyl orange (MO) was used as pollutant to check the photocatalytic activity of reduced PbTiO₃ nanoparticles under solar light irradiation. Photocatalytic activity of reduced PbTiO₃ nanoparticles increased 2.6 times more than that of pure PbTiO₃ nanoparticles for methyl orange (MO) under solar light irradiation.

KEY WORDS: Lead titanate (PbTiO₃), Photocatalytic performance, Hydrothermal growth, Solar light, Irradiation

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2019, 33(2), 373-380.

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v33i2.17