Hydrothermal Synthesis of Terbium doped Antimony Selenide Nanomaterials and Investigation of Their Photocatalytic Performance

Hanifehpour, Younes; Rahmani, Negin; Joo, Sang Woo

doi:10.22091/jaem.2023.9656.1005

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Terbium doped Antimony Selenide Nanomaterials and Investigation of Their Photocatalytic Performance

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

¹ Sayyed Jamaleddin Asadabadi University

² Yeungnam University

10.22091/jaem.2023.9656.1005

Abstract

Tb3+-doped antimony selenide nanomaterials were prepared via a hydrothermal route through a co-reduction method. The obtained products were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). Powder XRD patterns indicate that the TbxSb2-xSe3 crystals (x = 0.00-0.1) are isostructural with Sb2Se3. SEM images show that doping of Tb3+ ions in the lattice of Sb2Se3 results in nanoparticles. The electrical conductance of terbium doped antimony selenide is higher than undoped Sb2Se3 and increases with temperature. The synthesized nanomaterials were used as heterogeneous photocatalysts for the degradation of some water pollutant organic dyes under direct visible (with fluorescent light with 40 W Power). Rhodamine B (RB) was used as a typical dye to obtain the optimum photocatalytic degradation conditions. The photocatalytic reaction yield was 76% at the present conditions. The influence of radical scavengers on degradation percentage was investigated.

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