Tuning the charge transition process of Eu2O3 nanorods by coupling with Ag nanoparticles for enhanced photocatalytic performance

Abstract In response to the worsening environmental problems, great efforts in photocatalysis degradation of pollutants have been made. Semiconductor nanomaterials are intensively exploited, and variety strategies to achieve efficient charge separation by constructing hybrid nanostructures have been reported. In this work, we propose a new mechanistic strategy to tune the charge transition process of rare-earth compounds that enables substantial improvements in charge separation efficiency. We further elucidates the prospect of applying the hybrid nanostructures of rare-earth compounds and plasmonic metals in photocatalysis. By coupling Eu2O3 nanorods (NRs) with plasmonic metal nanoparticles (NPs), specifically Ag NPs, we observed a dramatically increased photocurrent and evident enhancement in photocatalytic degradation efficiency of RhB, which were attributed to the alternation of charge transition route caused by Ag's synergetic effect and the establishment of electromagnetic field induced by the surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) effect. The preparation of Eu2O3 NRs and Eu2O3/Ag hybrid NRs were conducted under facile and modified synthesis routes. The structures, morphologies and optical properties of as-prepared compounds were intensively characterized.