X-Shaped Thallium oxide nanostructures as a high performance photocatalyst for degradation of Cephalexin

Abstract

In this study, we present an approach to synthesize Tl2O3 nanoparticles using a simple co-precipitation method that leads to the formation of X-shaped particles. The sample was characterized by XRD measurements, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS). The absorption spectrum of the sample showed that the optical band gap was 3.5 eV. The prepared photocatalyst was used in the photocatalytic degradation of Cephalexin (CPX) using irradiation, and the optimum parameters that were obtained were 0.2 g.L-1 of the photocatalyst at pH 5.5 and an irradiation time of 15 minutes.

Keywords

• tl2o3
• cephalexin
• photocatalitic activity
• band gap
• co-precipitation method