Ag-enhanced CeF₃-O: highly enhanced photocatalytic performance under NIR light irradiation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Photodegradation is a key technology for environmental remediation.
• Developing efficient photocatalysts for near-infrared (NIR) light is crucial for practical applications.
• Cerium Fluoride-Oxide (CeF3-O) with an intermediate band shows potential for photocatalysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the synergistic effect of silver (Ag) cocatalyst on CeF3-O for enhanced photodegradation.
• To evaluate the performance of Ag/CeF3-O nanoparticles under NIR light irradiation.
• To understand the mechanism behind the enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Ag/CeF3-O nanoparticles with varying Ag content.
• Photodegradation experiments using methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) as model pollutants.
• Characterization of photocatalysts using various analytical techniques.
• Analysis of reaction kinetics and charge transfer mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Ag/CeF3-O nanoparticles exhibited significantly improved photodegradation efficiencies for HCl-TC and RhB under NIR light compared to pure CeF3-O.
• The optimal Ag/CeF3-O-100 showed a 2.76-fold increase in HCl-TC degradation and a 3.0-fold higher rate constant.
• Ag/CeF3-O-10 achieved 96.7% RhB degradation with a rate constant 12.0 times higher than pure CeF3-O.
• Ag acted as a cocatalyst, facilitating electron transfer and charge separation at the metal-semiconductor interface.

Conclusions:

• The synergistic effect between CeF3-O and Ag cocatalyst greatly enhances photocatalytic activity under NIR light.
• Ag/CeF3-O nanoparticles represent a highly efficient material for wastewater treatment.
• The findings provide a practical approach for utilizing NIR light in environmental remediation.