Photocatalytic performance of (Zn,Me)–SnO2 nanoparticles (Me= Nb5+ or W6+) under UV light for efficiently degradation of organic dye pollutants

Abstract

In this study (Zn,Nb)-doped SnO2 and (Zn,W)-doped SnO2 were synthetized using chemical route by calcination at 600 °C/2 h and milling at 500 rpm/1 h to verify its behavior as a photocatalyst. The powders showed high surface area: 57.1 m2/g for (Zn,Nb)-doped SnO2 and 74.3 m2/g for (Zn,W)-doped SnO2, both showed 10–25 nm of average diameter and rutile crystalline phase after morphological and structural characterizations. UV–vis spectroscopy indicated a band gap of 3.53 eV for (Zn,Nb)–SnO2 and 3.35 for (Zn,W)–SnO2. The photocatalytic activity was verified through the decomposition of Rodhamine B (RhB) aqueous solution under ultraviolet light radiation of 9W. After 120 min the efficiency of (Zn,Nb)–SnO2 was 68.5 % and for (Zn,W)–SnO2 was 71.1 %. Using a UV-lamp of 11W the efficiency in photodiscoloration of RhB aqueous solution increased to 83.2 % with (Zn,W)-doped SnO2 powder in a shorter irradiation time (90 min), indicating its potential use as nanostructured photocatalyst ceramic powder.