Photoluminescence emission behavior on the reduced band gap of Fe doping in CeO2-SiO2 nanocomposite and photophysical properties

Abstract

Fe/CeO2-SiO2 nanocomposite was synthesized via hydrothermal method. Bond length of nanocomposite was determined through FTIR analysis, while Raman analysis showed lattice relaxation of CeO2 phase in Fe/CeO2-SiO2. TEM, XRD and DLS-PSA revealed an increase in size of Fe/CeO2-SiO2 as compared to CeO2-SiO2 which was attributed to have more oxygen vacancies in CeO2 after doping of iron. Lattice contraction was also observed in some phases of CeO2 in Fe/CeO2-SiO2 nanocomposite as compared to CeO2-SiO2 nanocomposite. This contraction was used for determination of Fe content incorporated in CeO2 [1 1 1] phase. The band gap values of Fe/CeO2-SiO2 nanocomposite were found reduced after doping of Fe by factors of 0.62 and 0.55 eV, respectively. Photoluminescence study of the materials was carried out to study the different type of transitions occurring after absorption of electromagnetic radiation. Photoluminescence intensity at 2.12 eV was found enhanced after doping of Fe due to increased oxygen vacancy. Photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites was studied with the degradation of chlorpyrifos pesticide. Keywords: Photoluminescence, Band gap, Doping, Oxygen vacancies, Lattice contraction, Photocatalysis