Facile synthesis of PbWO4: Applications in photoluminescence and photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes under visible light

•We report stolzite PbWO4 phosphor material by precipitation method at room temperature.•PbWO4 phosphor revealed broad and intense blue luminescence.•We achieved 100% MB and RhB dye degradation in 60 and 105 min.•The photocatalytic degradation was in the order of MB > RhB > MO under visible light irradiation.•PbWO4 can be a favorable candidate to fabricate blue component in white LEDs and to remove the textile effluents.

Stolzite polymorph of PbWO4 catalyst was prepared by the facile room temperature precipitation method. Structural parameters were refined by the Rietveld analysis using powder X-ray data. PbWO4 was crystallized in the scheelite-type tetragonal structure with space group I41/a (No. 88). Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed leaf like morphology. Photoluminescence spectra exhibit broad blue emission (425 nm) under the excitation of 356 nm. The photocatalytic degradation of Methylene blue, Rhodamine B and Methyl orange dyes were measured under visible illumination. The 100% dye degradation was observed for MB and RhB dyes within 60 and 105 min. The rate constant was found to be in the decreasing order of MB > RhB > MO which followed the 1st order kinetic mechanism. Therefore, PbWO4 can be a potential candidate for blue component in white LEDs and also acts as a catalyst for the treatment of toxic and non-biodegradable organic pollutants in water.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide