Visible light-responsive photocatalyst of SnO2/rGO prepared using Pometia pinnata leaf extract

Abstract

The composite of tin oxide-reduced graphene oxide (SnO2/rGO) was prepared via a green synthesis of rGO using Pometia pinnata leaf extract followed by the dispersion of the SnO2 precursor. The composite was employed as a photocatalyst for the removal of methylene blue (MB) under UV and visible light. A variety of spectroscopic and analytical techniques, consisting of X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared, scanning transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and a transmission electron microscope, was used to characterize the physical properties of the photocatalyst. The characterizations represent the dispersed SnO2 nanoparticles in the rutile phase with the mean particle size of 72 nm. The photocatalytic activity experiments revealed the superiority of the composite for photodegradation application under the visible light source compared to UV light. This visible light-responsive property is fit with photoluminescence intensity in the visible light range. It was found that SnO2/rGO yields the degradation efficiency of ca. 98.28% within 90 min.

Keywords

• photocatalyst
• photodegradation
• reduced graphene oxide
• sno2