Defect Engineering Enhances the Charge Separation of CeO2 Nanorods toward Photocatalytic Methyl Blue Oxidation

• Published in: Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 10; no. 11; p. 2307
• Main Authors: Yang, Jindong, Xie, Ning, Zhang, Jingnan, Fan, Wenjie, Huang, Yongchao, Tong, Yexiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 21-11-2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Catalysis; cerium oxide; Cerium oxides; Charge materials; Charge transfer; Contact angle; Defects; Efficiency; Electron paramagnetic resonance; Electron spin; Electron spin resonance; environmental photocatalysis; Glass substrates; Irradiation; Light irradiation; Morphology; nanomaterials; Nanorods; Oxidation; Photocatalysis; Photodegradation; Pollutant removal; Pollutants; Radiation; Reactive oxygen species; Samarium; Scanning electron microscopy; Sm doping; Spectroscopy; Spectrum analysis; Spin resonance; Transmission electron microscopy; Beijing China; United States > US; China
• ISSN: 2079-4991; 2079-4991
• DOI: 10.3390/nano10112307

Defect-rich photocatalytic materials with excellent charge transfer properties are very popular. Herein, Sm-doped CeO2 nanorods were annealed in a N2 atmosphere to obtain the defective Sm-doped CeO2 photocatalysts (Vo–Sm–CeO2). The morphology and structure of Vo–Sm–CeO2 were systematically characterized. The Vo–Sm–CeO2 nanorods demonstrated an excellent photodegradation performance of methyl blue under visible light irradiation compared to CeO2 nanorods and Sm–CeO2. Reactive oxygen species including OH, ·O2−, and h+ were confirmed to play a pivotal role in the removal of pollutants via electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Doping Sm enhances the conductivity of CeO2 nanorods, benefiting photogenerated electrons being removed from the surface reactive sites, resulting in the superior performance.