Evaluation of the photocatalytic activity of Ln3+–TiO2 nanomaterial using fluorescence technique for real wastewater treatment

• Different lanthanide ions doped TiO2 were prepared.
• The photocatalytic activity of Ln3+/TiO2 was evaluated using fluorescence based methods.
• The highly active nanoparticles were applied for industrial wastewater treatment.

Evaluation the photocatalytic activity of different Ln3+ modified TiO2 nanomaterials using fluorescence based technique has rarely been reported. In the present work, x mol Ln3+ modified TiO2 nanomaterials (Ln = Nd3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Gd3+, Dy3+ and Er3+ ions; x = 0.005, 0.008, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03) were synthesized by sol–gel method and characterized using different advanced techniques. The photocatalytic efficiency of the modified TiO2 expressed in the charge carrier separation and OH radicals formation were assigned using TiO2 fluorescence quenching and fluorescence probe methods, respectively. The obtained fluorescence measurements confirm that doping treatment significantly decreases the electron–hole recombination probability in the obtained Ln3+/TiO2. Moreover, the rate of OH radicals formation is increased by doping. The highly active nanoparticles (0.02Gd3+/TiO2 and 0.01Eu3+/TiO2) were applied for industrial wastewater treatment using solar radiation as a renewable energy source.

x mol Ln3+ modified TiO2 nanomaterials (Ln = Nd3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Gd3+, Dy3+ and Er3+ ions; x = 0.005, 0.008, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 mol) were synthesized by sol–gel method and characterized using different advanced techniques. The photocatalytic efficiency of the modified TiO2 expressed in the charge carrier separation and OH radicals formation were assigned using TiO2 fluorescence quenching and fluorescence probe methods, respectively. The highly active photocatalyst successfully applied for real wastewater treatment.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide