Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B using Fe/Ba-doped Bi4Ti3O12 nanostructures: Mechanism and performance evaluation

This research paper aims to synthesize nano-sheets of Bi4Fe0.08Ti2.92O12, Bi3.75Ba0.25Ti3O12, and Bi3.75Ba0.25Fe0.08Ti2.92O12 using the molten salt technique. The investigation focuses on examining the structural, morphological, optical properties, and photocatalytic activities of these materials. Specifically, we study the individual and collective impact of ion substitution at sites A and B (with Ba2+ at site A and Fe3+ at site B). Our analysis incorporates various characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), photoluminescence (PL), and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-VIS). We select Rhodamine B (Rh–B) as a representative organic contaminant to evaluate the photocatalytic efficiency of the catalysts under sunlight. Additionally, we assess the influence of doping on photocatalytic activity. Remarkably, substituting iron and barium at sites B and A, respectively, results in maximum degradation rates of Rh–B, achieving 97.11 % and 96.75 % degradation, respectively. The synthesis procedure yields well-formed crystals of suitable size in all nano samples, leading to enhanced performance of the photocatalysts in degrading Rh–B. This study significantly contributes to the advancement of wastewater purification methodologies.