Efficient fabrication of ZrO2-doped TiO2 hollow nanospheres with enhanced photocatalytic activity of rhodamine B degradation

ZrO(2)-doped TiO(2) hollow nanospheres with anatase phase are efficiently fabricated via functionalized negatively charged polystyrene (PS) spheres without any surfactant or polyelectrolyte. The resulting Ti(1-)(x)Zr(x)O(2) (hereafter denoted as TZ) hollow nanospheres are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), nitrogen sorption, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis). The Zr(4+) incorporation decreases the anatase crystallite size, increases the specific surface area, and changes the pore size distribution. Furthermore, it induces enrichment of electron charge density around Ti(4+) ions and blueshift of absorption edges. The TZ hollow nanospheres doped with moderate ZrO(2) (molar ratio, Ti:Zr=10:1) exhibit better photocatalytic activity than the other samples for the degradation of rhodamine B in aqueous solution, which is correlated with the effect of Zr(4+) doping on the physicochemical properties in terms of surface structures, phase structures, and the electronic structures.     

From hollow olive-shaped BiVO4 to n-p core-shell BiVO4@Bi2O3 microspheres: controlled synthesis and enhanced visible-light-responsive photocatalytic properties

In this study, hollow olive-shaped BiVO(4) and n-p core-shell BiVO(4)@Bi(2)O(3) microspheres were synthesized by a novel sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT)-assisted mixed solvothermal route and a thermal solution of NaOH etching process under hydrothermal conditions for the first time, respectively. The as-obtained products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, and UV-vis diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy in detail. The influence of AOT and solvent ratios on the final products was studied. On the basis of SEM observations and XRD analyses of the samples synthesized at different reaction stages, the formation mechanism of hollow olive-shaped BiVO(4) microspheres was proposed. The photocatalytic activities of hollow olive-shaped BiVO(4) and core-shell BiVO(4)@Bi(2)O(3) microspheres were evaluated on the degradation of rhodamine B under visible-light irradiation (λ > 400 nm). The results indicated that core-shell BiVO(4)@Bi(2)O(3) exhibited much higher photocatalytic activities than pure olive-shaped BiVO(4). The mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity of core-shell BiVO(4)@Bi(2)O(3) microspheres was discussed on the basis of the calculated energy band positions as well. The present study provides a new strategy to enhancing the photocatalytic activity of visible-light-responsive Bi-based photocatalysts by p-n heterojunction.     

Surface stabilized nanosized Ce(x)Zr(1-x)O(2) solid solutions over SiO(2): characterization by XRD, Raman, and HREM techniques

Ce(x)Zr(1)(-)(x)O(2) solid solutions deposited over silica surface were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (RS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HREM) techniques in order to understand the role of silica support and the temperature stability of these composite oxides. For the purpose of comparison, an unsupported Ce(x)Zr(1)(-)(x)O(2) was also synthesized and subjected to characterization by various techniques. The Ce(x)Zr(1)(-)(x)O(2)/SiO(2) (CZ/S) (1:1:2 mole ratio based on oxides) was synthesized by depositing Ce(x)Zr(1)(-)(x)O(2) solid solution over a colloidal SiO(2) support by a deposition precipitation method and unsupported Ce(x)Zr(1)(-)(x)O(2) (CZ) (1:1 mole ratio based on oxides) was prepared by a coprecipitation procedure, and the obtained catalysts were subjected to thermal treatments from 773 to 1073 K. The XRD measurements disclose the presence of cubic phases with the composition Ce(0.75)Zr(0.25)O(2) and Ce(0.6)Zr(0.4)O(2) in CZ samples, while CZ/S samples possess Ce(0.75)Zr(0.25)O(2), Ce(0.6)Zr(0.4)O(2), and Ce(0.5)Zr(0.5)O(2) in different proportions. The crystallinity of these phases increased with increasing calcination temperature. The cell a parameter estimations indicate contraction of ceria lattice due to the incorporation of zirconium cations into the CeO(2) unit cell. Raman measurements indicate the presence of oxygen vacancies, lattice defects, and displacement of oxygen ions from their normal lattice positions in both the series of samples. The HREM results reveal, in the case of CZ/S samples, a well-dispersed nanosized Ce-Zr-oxides over the surface of amorphous SiO(2). The structural features of these crystals as determined by digital diffraction analysis of experimental images reveal that the Ce-Zr-oxides are mainly in the cubic geometry and exhibit high thermal stability. Oxygen storage capacity measurements by a thermogravimetric method reveal a substantial enhancement in the oxygen vacancy concentration of CZ/S sample over the unsupported CZ sample.     

Photophysical and photocatalytic properties of Ca(1-x)BixVxMo(1-x)O4 solid solutions

New solid solutions with the composition of Ca(1-x)BixVxMo(1-x)O4 prepared by a solid-state method were found as novel photocatalysts with enhanced activity for O(2) evolution from aqueous solutions containing sacrificial reagent AgNO3 under visible-light irradiation (>420 nm). The obtained solid solutions crystallized in tetragonal crystal structures, except one of the end compounds, BiVO4, which crystallized in monoclinic structures. The diffuse reflection spectra of the solid solutions shift monotonically to a long wavelength as the ratio of Bi (V) ions to Ca (Mo) ions increases in the solid solution. The band structure and the dependence of the photocatalytic properties were discussed in relation to the solid-solution compositions and photophysical properties.     

Zr/Ti摩尔比对锶锆钛复合氧化物在可见光下光催化性能的影响

通过分步沉积法制备了不同Zr/Ti 摩尔比的锶锆钛(SZT)复合氧化物催化剂, 以X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)、透射电镜(TEM)、紫外-可见(UV-Vis)漫反射光谱等表征手段考察不同Zr/Ti 摩尔比下SZT催化剂的结构形态, 以可见光下光催化降解亚甲基蓝为模型反应考察样品的光催化活性. 结果表明: Zr/Ti 摩尔比<1 时SZT催化剂发生Zr⁴⁺与Ti⁴⁺同质替换, 引起晶格缺陷, 光催化活性小幅提高; Zr/Ti 摩尔比≥1 时SZT催化剂产生SrZrO₃/Ti_nO_2n-1 (n=4, 9)的新晶相, Ti_nO_2n-1 (n=4, 9)的存在有利于光生电子-空穴的传导与分离, 可大幅提高催化剂光催化活性. 其中, SZT-5/5 表现出最高的光催化活性, 其一级反应速率常数达到0.2133 min^-1, 是同等光照条件下纯SrTiO₃样品(0.0158 min^-1)的13.5倍.     

Preparation,characterization and photocatalytic properties of BiOBr/ZnO composites

BiOBr/ZnO composite photocatalysts were prepared by a simple hydrothermal method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM), UV–Vis diffusion reflectance spectroscopy(DRS) and photoluminescence(PL) spectroscopy, respectively. The photocatalytic activities were evaluated by the degradation of methyl blue(MB) under the simulated sunlight irradiation. Among all the samples, the BiOBr/ZnO composite with a mole ratio of 3:1(Bi:Zn) exhibited the best photocatalytic activity. The improvement of photocatalytic activity was mainly attributed to the low recombination ratio of photo-induced electron-hole pairs. The possible photocatalytic mechanism was discussed on the basis of the band structures of BiOBr and ZnO.     

磷钨酸钾模板法制备高活性二氧化钛空心微球

TiO2空心微球因具有低密度、高活性、易分离而有利于多次重复使用的优点而广受关注.本文介绍一种无氟制备TiO2空心微球的简单方法——磷钨酸钾(K3PW12O40)模板法.首先,将H3PW12O40和KCl溶液混匀,得到白色牛奶状的K3PW12O40模板(式(1)),然后在磁力搅拌下加入一定量的Ti(SO4)2粉末,加热至大约125oC开始回流.回流8 h后,过滤洗涤.滤饼分散在强NaOH溶液中,原位除去K3PW12O40模板(式(2)).最后,将催化剂洗涤到滤液为中性,干燥后即得到TiO2空心微球.3KCl + H3PW12O40= K3PW12O40ˉ+3HCl (1) K3PW12O40+24NaOH =12Na2WO4+ K3PO4+12 H2O (2) Ti(SO4)2+2H2O = TiO2+2H2SO4(3)我们将所制备的TiO2空心微球,采用X射线衍射、透射电子显微镜、扫描电子显微镜、傅立叶红外光谱、固体粉末漫反射和X射线光电子能谱等进行了表征.采用紫外光催化降解阴离子染料(活性嫣红X3B)来评价催化剂的性能.实验结果显示：(1)所制TiO2空心微球直径在0.5–1.0μm;(2)磷钨酸钾模板剂充当晶核,有利于空心微球的晶化;(3)加入的高浓度硫酸钛,水解产生大量的硫酸,抑制硫酸钛水解,不利于TiO2空心微球的晶化(式(3));(4)催化剂的活性随着硫酸钛量的增加而先增后降.4 mmol硫酸钛用量的TiO2空心微球具有最高的光催化活性,是TiO2颗粒样品(无磷钨酸钾模板法制备)的2.1倍.用该方法制备的TiO2空心微球活性高可归因于以下主要原因：(1)TiO2空心微球独特的孔结构;(2)良好的晶化程度(TiO2样品晶化度越高,越有利于光生载流子的分离,抑制复合);(3)样品残余磷钨酸钾模板和TiO2之间存在光生电子转移,有利于空心微球TiO2活性的提高.该法具有操作简单、重复性好、易于批量制备的等优点,有望广泛应用于(光)催化、电化学、分离与纯化以及药物缓释等领域.     

Visible-light induced oxo-bridged Zr(IV)-O-Ce(III) redox centre in tetragonal ZrO2-CeO2 solid solution for degradation of organic pollutants

Tetragonal ZrO(2)-CeO(2) solid solutions with composition Zr(1-x)Ce(x)O(2) (x = 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3) were synthesized in a citrate complexation route and characterized by XRD, XPS, UV-vis diffuse reflectance and ESR measurements. The formation of the homogeneous solid solution Zr(1-x)Ce(x)O(2) constructed the oxo-bridged bimetallic Zr(IV)-O-Ce(III) linkage between two neighboring flattened tetrahedrons of the structural framework. As compared to their parent oxides, the ZrO(2)-CeO(2) solid solutions exhibited optical absorption extending to longer wavelengths in the visible region. The red shift in the absorption spectrum was demonstrated to be partially due to a metal-to-metal charge transfer (MMCT) transition of the oxo-bridged Zr(IV)-O-Ce(III) linkage. The visible-light induced MMCT transition of Zr(IV)-O-Ce(III)→ Zr(III)-O-Ce(IV) resulted in the generation of the additional Ce(IV) and superoxide anion radical formed by the interaction of Zr(III) with adsorbed O(2). Catalytic activity evaluation revealed that the photoexcitation of the MMCT over the solid solution can initiate the degradation of RhB and 2,4-DCP upon visible-light irradiation, whereby Zr(III) and Ce(IV) act as a site-specific reducing and oxidizing center, respectively. The structure of the solid solution Zr(1-x)Ce(x)O(2) and the oxidation states of Zr and Ce species are also discussed in detail.     

Influence of disorder-to-order transition on lattice thermal expansion and oxide ion conductivity in (Ca(x)Gd(1-x))(2)(Zr(1-x)M(x))2O7 pyrochlore solid solutions

The effect of simultaneous substitutions of Ca at A site and Nb or Ta at B site in pyrochlore-type solid solutions: (Ca(x)Gd(1-x))(2)(Zr(1-x)M(x))(2)O(7) (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and M = Nb or Ta) were studied by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT NIR Raman spectroscopic techniques and transmission electron microscopy. The solid solutions were prepared by the conventional high-temperature ceramic route. The XRD results and Rietveld analysis revealed that the defect fluorite structure of Gd(2)Zr(2)O(7) progressively changed to a more ordered pyrochlore phase by simultaneous substitutions at A and B sites. Raman spectroscopy reveals the progressive ordering in the anion sublattice with simultaneous doping. High-resolution images and selected-area electron diffraction patterns obtained from TEM confirms the XRD and Raman spectroscopic results. High-temperature XRD studies show that the lattice expansion coefficient in these pyrochlore oxides is of the order of 10(-6) K(-1). Lattice thermal expansion coefficient increases with increase of disorder in pyrochlore oxides, and hence the variation of thermal expansion coefficient with composition is also a good indicator of disordering in pyrochlore-type oxides. The ionic conducting properties of the samples were characterised by impedance spectroscopy, and it was found that Nb-doped compositions show a considerable change in conductivity near the phase boundary of disordered pyrochlore and defect fluorite phases.     

Ti~(3+)自掺杂的纳米TiO_2的制备及其可见光催化性能

以TiH2为Ti源,H2O2为氧化剂,首先通过表面氧化得到不同状态的前驱体凝胶,然后采用后续水热处理制备Ti3+自掺杂的纳米Ti O2.考察了前驱体凝胶状态及水热处理时间对材料结构和性能的影响.利用X射线衍射、透射电子显微镜、X射线光电子能谱、电子顺磁共振波谱和紫外-可见漫反射光谱手段对样品进行表征.以次甲基蓝溶液为模拟废水评价样品的可见光催化降解性能.结果表明,与纯Ti O2相比,Ti3+的自掺杂使材料在可见光区有明显的吸收,并具有良好的可见光催化降解性能和循环使用性能.当采用黄色凝胶为前驱体时,在160°C下水热处理24 h所得样品在可见光下光催化降解次甲基蓝的反应速率常数(0.0439 min-1)是纯Ti O2的18.3倍.     

铋掺杂二氧化钛纳米颗粒的制备及其可见光催化性能

采用水热法,以纳米管钛酸为前驱物制备了Bi掺杂的TiO₂,并利用X射线衍射、透射电子显微镜、X射线光电子能谱、紫外-可见漫反射光谱等手段对样品进行了表征. 以甲基橙的光催化降解为模型反应评价了样品的可见光催化性能. 结果表明,Bi离子并没有进入TiO₂的晶格中,而是以BiOCl的形式存在. 所制得的BiOCl/TiO₂复合物对甲基橙降解表现出较优越的可见光催化活性;当Bi/Ti摩尔比为1%,水热温度为130℃时,所制催化剂的光催化性能最佳,并对光催化活性提高的机理进行了讨论. 同时,该催化剂对4-氯苯酚降解也表现出较高的光催化性能.     

Composition dependence of the photocatalytic activities of BiOCl(1-x)Br(x) solid solutions under visible light

We prepared BiOCl(1-x)Br(x) (x=0-1) solid solutions and characterized their structures, morphologies, and photocatalytic properties by X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, photocurrent and photocatalytic activity measurements and also by density functional theory calculations for BiOCl, BiOBr, BiOCl(0.5)Br(0.5). Under visible-light irradiation BiOCl(1-x)Br(x) exhibits a stronger photocatalytic activity than do BiOCl and BiOBr, with the activity reaching the maximum at x=0.5 and decreasing gradually as x is increased toward 1 or decreased toward 0. This trend is closely mimicked by the photogenerated current of BiOCl(1-x)Br(x) , indicating that the enhanced photocatalytic activity of BiOCl(1-x)Br(x) with respect to those of BiOCl and BiOBr originates from the trapping of photogenerated carriers. Our electronic structure calculations for BiOCl(0.5)Br(0.5) with the anion (O(2-), Cl(-), Br(-)) and cation (Bi(3+)) vacancies suggest that the trapping of photogenerated carriers is caused most likely by Bi(3+) cation vacancies, which generate hole states above the conduction band maximum.     

Characterization of Rh-Cr mixed-oxide nanoparticles dispersed on (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)Ox) as a cocatalyst for visible-light-driven overall water splitting

The structure of Rh-Cr mixed-oxide (Rh(2)(-)(y)Cr(y)O(3)) nanoparticles dispersed on (Ga(1)(-)(x)Zn(x))(N(1)(-)(x)O(x)) is characterized by electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy. The Rh(2)(-)(y)Cr(y)O(3) nanoparticle is an efficient cocatalyst for photocatalytic overall water splitting on the (Ga(1)(-)(x)Zn(x))(N(1)(-)(x)O(x)) solid solution and is loaded onto the catalyst by impregnation from an aqueous solution containing Na(3)RhCl(6).2H(2)O and Cr(NO(3))(3).9H(2)O followed by calcination in air. Impregnation of the (Ga(1)(-)(x)Zn(x))(N(1)(-)(x)O(x)) with 1 wt % Rh and 1.5 wt % Cr followed by calcination at 623 K for 1 h provides the highest photocatalytic activity. Structural analyses reveal that the activity of this photocatalyst is strongly dependent on the generation of trivalent Rh-Cr mixed-oxide nanoparticles with optimal composition and distribution.     

Bi3.25La0.75Ti3O12纳米线的可见光催化性能

研究了用一步水热法制备的掺镧钛酸铋(Bi_3.25La_0.75Ti₃O₁₂, BLT)纳米线的光学和可见光催化性能, 并对其晶体结构和微观结构用X射线衍射(XRD)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)和高分辨透射电子显微镜(HRTEM)等手段进行了表征. 结果表明, 制备的纳米线为纯相的Bi_3.25La_0.75Ti₃O₁₂, 平均直径约为25 nm. 室温光致发光谱(PL)显示BLT纳米线在433和565 nm附近有较强的发射峰, 分别对应激子发射和表面缺陷发光. 紫外-可见漫反射光谱(UV-Vis DRS)表明BLT样品的带隙能约为2.07 eV. 利用可见光(λ>420 nm)照射下的甲基橙降解实验评价了BLT样品的光催化性能. 结果表明, BLT的光催化活性比商用TiO₂催化剂P25、掺氮TiO₂和纯相钛酸铋(Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂, BIT)高得多. BLT光催化剂具有更高催化活性的原因是La³⁺离子掺杂拓展了BIT对可见光的吸收范围, 同时抑制了BIT的光生电子-空穴的复合.     

One-pot hydrothermal synthesis of willow branch-shaped MoS2/CdS heterojunctions for photocatalytic H2 production under visible light irradiation

Willow branch-shaped MoS₂/CdS heterojunctions are successfully synthesized for the first time by a facile one-pot hydrothermal method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemical and photoluminescence spectroscopy tests. The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activities of the samples were evaluated under visible light irradiation. The resulting MoS₂/CdS heterojunctions exhibit a much improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity than that obtained with CdS and MoS₂. In particular, the optimized MC-5 (5 at.% MoS₂/CdS) photocatalyst achieved the highest hydrogen production rate of 250.8 μmol h^-1, which is 28 times higher than that of pristine CdS. The apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) at 420 nm was 3.66%. Further detailed characterizations revealed that the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the MoS₂/CdS heterojunctions could be attributed to the efficient transfer and separation of photogenerated charge carriers resulting from the core-shell structure and the close contact between MoS₂ nanosheets and CdS single-crystal nanorods, as well as to increased visible light absorption. A tentative mechanism for photocatalytic H₂ evolution by MoS₂/CdS heterojunctions was proposed. This work will open up new opportunities for developing more efficient photocatalysts for water splitting.     

Controlled synthesis of Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires with smooth and bristled surfaces via a one-step solution route

Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires were synthesized via a one-step solution method without using a template. Interestingly, the shell morphologies can be controlled to be smooth or bristled by altering the reaction temperature. Moreover, the TiO2 shell thickness and bristle length can be tuned by changing the AgNO3 concentration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the resultant Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires. Moreover, the absorption peaks of our samples are significantly red-shifted compared with those of the uncoated pure silver nanowires, indicating that interaction between the core and shell occurred. On the basis of the experimental results, we proposed a template-induced Oswald ripening mechanism to explain the formation of the Ag/TiO2 core-shell nanowires.     

水洗处理对Au/TiO2催化剂光催化活性的影响

以Au(S2O3)3-2为金前驱体, 分别采用水洗(W)和旋蒸(E)工艺制备了Au/TiO2催化剂. 用UV-Vis漫反射光谱(DRS)、X 射线衍射(XRD)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)和原子吸收光谱(AAS)对制备的催化剂样品进行了表征, 通过光催化降解甲基橙对催化剂光催化活性进行了评价. 结果表明, 通过水洗处理, 催化剂样品表面形成了具有较好分散性的金纳米粒子(2-5 nm), 而旋蒸工艺制备的样品表面形成一层金的包覆结构. Au/TiO2催化剂的光催化活性与制备工艺密切相关. 在相似的金负载量下, 水洗法制备的样品比旋蒸法制备的样品具有更高的光催化活性.     

Enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of TiO(2) by doping it with calcium ions

Titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) with an enhanced photocatalytic activity was developed by doping it with calcium ions through a sol-gel method. The developed photocatalysts were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, N(2) physisorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray diffraction. Their surface morphologies were studied using surface scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XPS analyses confirmed the presence of Ti, O, Ca, and C in the Ca-doped TiO(2) sample. The activities of the catalysts were evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of an azo dye, acid red 1 (AR1), using UV light irradiation. The results of the investigations revealed that the samples calcined at 300 °C for 3.6h in a cyclic (2 cycles) mode had the best performance. Lower percentage dopant, 0.3-1.0 wt.%, enhanced the photocatalytic activity of TiO(2), with the best at 0.5 wt.% Ca-TiO(2). The performance of 0.5 wt.% Ca-TiO(2) in the degradation of AR1 was far superior to that of a commercial anatase TiO(2) Sigma product CAS No. 1317-70-0. The effect of pH on the degradation of AR1 was studied, and the pH of the dye solution exerted a great influence on the degradation of the dye.     

Structural percolation in the PbM(1-x)M(x)'O(3) (M, M' =Ti, Cr, and V) perovskites

Structural properties and the influence of d electrons' insertion in PbTiO(3) have been determined in the study of PbM(1-x)M(x)'O(3) (M, M' = Ti, Cr, and V) solid solutions by means of X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, magnetization measurements, and strain mapping analysis. PbTi(1-x)V(x)O(3) is the only system that preserves the same space group (P4mm) for all x, whereas PbTi(1-x)Cr(x)O(3) and PbV(1-x)Cr(x)O(3) change to cubic (Pm ?3m) at x = 0.30 and 0.4, respectively. These values have been related with the percolation threshold for a cubic net (P(c) = 0.31). The microscopy study coincides with the X-ray diffraction determination, and neither supercell nor short-range order maxima are observed. However, for x ≥ 0.7 in PbTi(1-x)Cr(x)O(3) the presence of modulated zones is observed in both the electron diffraction pattern as well as high-resolution transmission electron micrographs, as is typical for PbCrO(3). (1) Furthermore, the tetragonal region in PbV(1-x)Cr(x)O(3) suffers a great stress because of the contrast of [Cr-O(6)] octahedra and [V-O(5)] square-based pyramids end members basic units.     

Sm(2-x)Dy(x)Zr2O7 pyrochlores: probing order-disorder dynamics and multifunctionality

The present work involves the synthesis of a series of Sm(2-x)Dy(x)Zr(2)O(7) compounds (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0) by a controlled gel combustion process. The powders were thoroughly analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and diffuse-reflectance UV-visible spectroscopy. The powder XRD studies revealed the system to be single-phasic throughout with retention of pyrochlore-type ordering until 40 mol % of Dy(3+), beyond which the pyrochlore lattice gives way to the defect fluorite structure. Interestingly, Raman spectroscopic studies (as against XRD studies) showed retention of pyrochlore-type ordering throughout the homogeneity range of the compositions studied. This is perhaps the first study that reports retention of a weak pyrochlore-type superstructure in the Dy(2)Zr(2)O(7) system, which was otherwise known to crystallize in the defect fluorite system. The ionic conductivity measurements showed an increase in the activation energy (E(a)) with an increase in the mole percent of Dy(3+) owing to the decreased mobility with an increase in the degree of disorder. The system possesses a tunable band gap with varying amounts of Dy(3+). First-principles calculations were performed to support a decrease in the band gap of the doped system with an increase in the Dy(3+) content. The potential as photocatalysts of some of these compositions was explored, and they exhibited high photocatalytic activity for degradation of xylenol orange, with t(1/2) increasing from pure Sm(2)Zr(2)O(7) to pure Dy(2)Zr(2)O(7).