Hydrothermal fabrication and characterization of novel CeO2/PbWO4 nanocomposite for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic performance

Abstract

Abstract In this revision, a series of novel visible-light-driven (VLD) CeO2/PbWO4 nanocomposites (NCs) were effectively fabricated by facile hydrothermal preparation way. The UV–Vis absorption spectra exposed that CeO2 NPs prolonged the adsorption edge of the CeO2/PbWO4 composite to the extensive visible region, which allied to decreases of the bandgap. As-prepared CeO2/PbWO4 NCs revealed superior photocatalytic action under visible-light and could degrade the Methylene Blue (MB) dye solution in 140 min. The photodegradation efficacy of CeO2/PbWO4 NCs was improved catalytic activity, which is around 1.45 and 2.7 times that of CeO2 and PbWO4 nanoparticles (NPs) individually. Besides, the CeO2/PbWO4 catalysts display notable stability and reusability performance in four succeeding cycles. The development in the photocatalytic enactment of combined CeO2/PbWO4 nanocomposite could be recognized not only to the sturdy visible-light absorption responses and separating the photoexcited electron–hole pairs. Also, the plausibly systematic illumination of charge transference and exploitation of reactive species for superior photocatalytic action in visible-light have been discussed. It is projected that the CeO2/PbWO4 NCs could be used as effective photocatalysts for promising applications for environmental wastewater refinement.

Keywords

• CeO2/PbWO4
• Nanocomposites
• Hydrothermal
• Visible light
• Photodegradation
• Active species