Abstract
The photocatalytic properties of CeO2–Nb2O5 photocatalysts in heterogeneous photocatalysis (under ultraviolet and visible radiation) and in Fenton-like process were reported. Methylene blue dye (MB) and phenol (Ph) were used as models of pollutant molecules for these reactions, and the photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and thermally stimulated luminescence (TL). The results indicated that the addition of CeO2 (0.3 wt%, 1.0 wt% and 2.0 wt%) to Nb2O5 sensitized the resultant materials, increasing light absorption in the visible region. However, there is a suitable formulation of CeO2–Nb2O5 photocatalysts to improve each photocatalytic process. In heterogeneous photocatalysis, the addition of small CeO2 quantities to Nb2O5 was enough to improve the photocatalytic activity of CeO2–Nb2O5 photocatalysts (The best composition reported was CeO2 0.3 wt%.). The effectiveness of the catalyst was explained by the decrease in the number of trapping and luminescence centers in the conduction band of the material after the addition of CeO2 to Nb2O5, but a large amount of CeO2 decreased the number of trapping, luminescent and active centers to a large extent. Contrarily, in a Fenton-like process, the addition of CeO2 to Nb2O5 was favorable in all the proportions studied. (The best composition was 2.0 wt% CeO2.) In this case, the effectiveness was explained by the influence of the adsorption process (adsorption-triggered process), and the interactions between H2O2 and Ce3+ of the CeO2 in each photocatalyst thus formed surface peroxide species O22−, which induced the removal of the organic molecules under visible light.
Graphical abstract
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cheng M, Zeng G, Huang D, Lai C, Xu P, Zhang C, Liu Y. Hydroxyl radicals based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for remediation of soils contaminated with organic compounds: a review. Chem Eng J. 2016;284:582.
Ferraz NP, Marcos FCF, Nogueira AE, Martins AS, Asencios YJO. Hexagonal-Nb2O5/anatase-TiO2 mixtures and their applications in the removal of Methylene Blue dye under various conditions. Mater Chem Phys. 2017;198:331.
Barron MA, Haber L, Maier A, Zhao J, Dourson M. Toxicological review of phenol, EPA/635/r-02/006. In: Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), Washington: EPA, 2002. 2.
Chen X, Zhang Y, Zhou X, Ichimura S, Tong G, Zhou Q, Chen X, Wang W, Liang Y. Application of a novel semiconductor catalyst, CT, in degradation of aromatic pollutants in wastewater: phenol and catechol. J Nanomater. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/524141.
Choi J. Development of Visible-Light-Active Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Production and Environmental Application. Pasadena California: California Institute of Technology; 2010. 4.
Ibhadon AO, Fitzpatrick P. Heterogeneous photocatalysis: recent advances and applications. Catalysts. 2013;3(1):189.
Liu Y, Szeifert JM, Feckl JM, Mandlmeier B, Rathousky J, Hayden O, Fattakhova-Rohlfing D, Bein T. Niobium-doped titania nanoparticles: synthesis and assembly into mesoporous films and electrical conductivity. ACS Nano. 2010;4(9):5373.
Zhao Y, Eley C, Hu J, Foord JS, Ye L, He H. Shape-dependent acidity and photocatalytic activity of Nb2O5 nanocrystals with an active TT (001) surface. Angew Chem Int Ed. 2012;51(16):3846.
Khan MM, Ansari SA, Pradhan D, Ansari MO, Han DH, Lee J, Cho MHJ. Band gap engineered TiO2 nanoparticles for visible light induced photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic studies. Mater Chem A. 2014;2(3):637.
Khan MM, Ansari SA, Pradhan D, Han DH, Lee J, Hwan CM. Defect-induced band gap narrowed CeO2 nanostructures for visible light activities. Ind Eng Chem Res. 2014;53(23):9754.
Ansari SA, Khan MM, Ansari MO, Kalathil S, Lee J, Hwan CM. Band gap engineering of CeO2 nanostructure using an electrochemically active biofilm for visible light applications. RSC Adv. 2014;4:16782.
Sato S, Nakamura R, Abe S. Visible-light sensitization of TiO2 photocatalysts by wet-method N doping. Appl Catal A. 2005;284(1–2):131.
Fajardo HV, Longo E, Probst LFD, Valentini A, Carreño NLV, Nunes MR, Maciel AP, Leite ER. Influence of rare earth doping on the structural and catalytic properties of nanostructured tin oxide. Nanoscale Res Lett. 2008;3:194.
Rangaswamy A, Sudarsanam P, Reddy BM. Rare earth metal doped CeO2–based catalytic materials for diesel soot oxidation at lower temperatures. J Rare Earths. 2015;33(11):1162.
Xie Y, Yuan C, Li X. Photosensitized and photocatalyzed degradation of azo dye using Lnn+-TiO2 sol in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. Mater Sci Eng B. 2005;117(3):325.
Gurkan YY, Turkten N, Hatipoglu A, Cinar Z. Photocatalytic degradation of cefazolin over N-doped TiO2 under UV and sunlight irradiation: prediction of the reaction paths via conceptual DFT. Chem Eng J. 2012;184:113.
Huang Y, Wei Y, Wua J, Guo C, Wang M, Yin S, Sato T. Low temperature synthesis and photocatalytic properties of highly oriented ZnO/TiO2−xNy coupled photocatalysts. Appl Catal B. 2012;123–124:9.
Martins T, Hewer T, Freire R. Cério: propriedades catalíticas, aplicações tecnológicas e ambientais. Quím Nova. 2007;30(8):2001.
Rajendran S, Khan MM, Gracia F, Qin J, Gupta VK, Arumainathan S. Ce3+-ion-induced visible-light photocatalytic degradation and electrochemical activity of ZnO/CeO2 nanocomposite. Sci Rep. 2016;6:31641.
Khan ME, Khan MM, Cho MH. Ce3+-ion, surface oxygen vacancy, and visible light-induced photocatalytic dye degradation and photocapacitive performance of CeO2–graphene nanostructures. Sci Rep. 2017;7:5928.
Ge S, Jia H, Zhao H, Zheng Z, Zhang L. First observation of visible light photocatalytic activity of carbon modified Nb2O5 nanostructures. J Mater Chem. 2010;20(15):3052.
Da Silva GTST, Nogueira AE, Oliveira JA, Torres JA, Lopes OF, Ribeiro C. Acidic surface niobium pentoxide is catalytic active for CO2 photoreduction. Appl Catal B. 2019;242:349.
Li L, Deng J, Yu R, Chen J, Wang Z, Xing XJ. Niobium pentoxide hollow nanospheres with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity. J Mater Chem A. 2013;1(38):11894.
Rodrigues LA, Pinto da Silva MLC. Adsorção de íons fosfato em óxido de nióbio hidratado. Quim Nova. 2009;32(5):1206.
Umpierres SC, Prola LDT, Adebayo MA, Lima EC, Dos Reis GS, Kunzler DDF, Dotto GL, Arenas LT, Benvenutti EV. Mesoporous Nb2O5/SiO2 material obtained by sol–gel method and applied as adsorbent of crystal violet dye. Environ Technol. 2017;38(5):566.
Stosic D, Bennici S, Raki V, Auroux A. CeO2–Nb2O5 mixed oxide catalysts: preparation, characterization and catalytic activity in fructose dehydration reaction. Catal Today. 2012;192(1):160.
Zhang Z. Study of the double layer CeO2/Nb2O5 thin film. J Vac Sci Technol A. 2000;18:2928.
Jardim EO, Rico-Francés S, Abdelouahab-Reddam Z, Coloma F, Silvestre-Albero J, Sepúlveda-Escribano A, Ramos-Fernandez EV. High performance of Cu/CeO2–Nb2O5 catalysts for preferential CO oxidation and total combustion of toluene. Appl Catal A. 2015;502:129.
Jardim EO, Rico-Francés S, Coloma F, Anderson JA, Ramos-Fernandez EV, Silvestre-Albero J, Sepúlveda-Escribano A. Preferential oxidation of CO in excess of H2 on Pt/CeO2–Nb2O5 catalysts. Appl Catal A. 2015;492:201.
Pereira RR, Thomaz AF, Ferrier A, Goldner P, Gonçalves RR. Nanostructured rare earth doped Nb2O5: structural, optical properties and their correlation with photonic applications. J Lumin. 2016;170:707.
Wood DL, Tauc J. Weak absorption tails in amorphous semiconductors. Phys Rev B. 1972;5(8):3144.
American Public Health Association. Method D 5530, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 17th ed. Washington: American Public Health Association; 1989. 164.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Method 604, Methods for Organic Chemical Analysis of Municipal and Industrial Wastewater. Part VIII, 40 CFR Part 136. Appendix A. Washington: EPA. 1984. 1.
Sun X, Zhang H, Wei J, Yu Q, Yang P, Zhang F. Preparation of point-line Bi2WO6@TiO2 nanowires composite photocatalysts with enhanced UV/visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity. Mater Sci Semicond Process. 2016;45:51.
Zhu CS, Zhang L, Jiang B, Zheng JT, Hu P, Li SJ, Wu MB, Wu WT. Fabrication of Z-scheme Ag3PO4/MoS2 composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability for organic pollutant degradation. Appl Surf Sci. 2016;377:99.
Xu D, Cheng B, Cao S, Yu J. Enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability of Z-scheme Ag2CrO4-GO composite photocatalysts for organic pollutant degradation. Appl Catal B. 2015;164:380.
Shannon RD. Revised effective ionic radii and systematic studies of interatomic distances in halides and chalcogenides. Acta Crystallogr A. 1976;32:751.
Pauling L. The Nature of the Chemical Bond. Ithaca: Cornell University Press; 1961. 450.
Daskalaki VM, Dou MA, Puma GL, Kondarides DI, Lianos P. Solar light-responsive Pt/CdS/TiO2 photocatalysts for hydrogen production and simultaneous degradation of inorganic or organic sacrificial agents in wastewater. Environ Sci Technol. 2010;44(19):7200.
Chen X, Yu T, Fan X, Zhang H, Li Z, Ye J, Zou Z. Enhanced activity of mesoporous Nb2O5 for photocatalytic hydrogen production. Appl Surf Sci. 2007;253(20):8500.
Ge S, Jia H, Zhao H, Zheng Z, Zhang L. First observation of visible light photocatalytic activity of carbon modified Nb2O5 nanostructures. J Mater Chem. 2010;20(15):3052.
Santos CCL, Síntese e aplicação biotecnológica de nanoestruturas de óxido de cério (IV), obtidas pelo método hidrotermal de micro-ondas, João Pessoa, Brazil: Universidade Federal da Paraiba, 2013. 10.
Danciu V, Popa M, Indrea E, Pascuta P, Cosoveanu V, Popescu I. Fe, Ce and Cu influence on morpho-structural and photocatalytic properties of TiO2 aerogels. Rev Roum Chim. 2010;55(7):369.
Jing LQ, Qu YC, Wang BQ, Li SD, Jiang BJ, Yang LB, Fu W, Fu HG, Sun JZ. Review of photoluminescence performance of nano-sized semiconductor materials and its relationships with photocatalytic activity. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells. 2006;90(12):1773.
Gonçalves KA, Tatumi SH, Rocca RR, Ventieri A. The use of TL and OSL emissions of 3Al2O3–2SiO2:Er, Yb phosphors for dose rate estimation. J Radioanal Nucl Chem. 2015;306(3):775.
Guidelli EJ. Luminiscência Opticamente Estimulada em condições de Ressonância Plamônica. São Paulo: Universidade de São Paulo; 2015. 50.
Lousada CM, Johannes-Johansson A, Brinck T, Jonsson M. Mechanism of H2O2 decomposition on transition metal oxide surfaces. J Phys Chem C. 2012;116(17):9533.
Gonzalez G, Saraiva SM, Aliaga W. Isoelectric points for niobium and vanadium pentoxides. J Dispers Sci Technol. 1994;15(2):249.
Ziolek M, Sobczak I, Decyk P, Wolski L. The ability of Nb2O5 and Ta2O5 to generate active oxygen in contact with hydrogen peroxide. Catal Commun. 2013;37:85.
Ziolek M, Sobczak I, Decyk P, Sobanska K, Pietrzyk P, Sojka Z. Search for reactive intermediates in catalytic oxidation with hydrogen peroxide over amorphous niobium (V) and tantalum (V) oxides. Appl Catal B. 2015;164:288.
Chen F, Shen X, Wang Y, Zhang J. CeO2/H2O2 system catalytic oxidation mechanism study via a kinetics investigation to the degradation of acid orange 7. Appl Catal B. 2012;121–122:223.
Cai WD, Chen F, Shen XX, Chen LJ, Zhang JL. Enhanced catalytic degradation of AO7 in the CeO2–H2O2 system with Fe3+ doping. Appl Catal B. 2010;101:160.
Ji PF, Wang LZ, Chen F, Zhang JL. Ce3+ Centric organic pollutant elimination by CeO2 in the presence of H2O2. ChemCatChem. 2010;2:1552.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank to the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (for the financial support, Grant numbers 2014/24940-5, and 2017/01462-9), to the Brazilian National Council for Scientific Development (CNPq) for the fellowship given to Nathalia P. Ferraz, and to the Brazilian Metals and Mining Company (CBMM).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ferraz, N.P., Nogueira, A.E., Marcos, F.C.F. et al. CeO2–Nb2O5 photocatalysts for degradation of organic pollutants in water. Rare Met. 39, 230–240 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-019-01282-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-019-01282-7