Synthesis of Ag-doped PbTiO3 nanoparticles: feasibility study of its decolorization of simulated methyl orange dye wastewater

Abstract

In the area of water purification, nanotechnology offers the possibility of an efficient removal of pollutants and germs. Nowadays, nanostructures used for detection and removal of chemical and biological substances include metals, azo dyes, nutrients, cyanide, organics, algae, bacteria, parasites, and etc. In the current study, an attempt is made to synthesize and characterization of Ag dope PbTiO 3 nanoparticles in an aqueous environment through the twostep sol-gel method. Besides, glucose, lactose, and starch were applied as the natural capping agents and their effect on the morphology and particle size of final products were investigated by SEM analysis. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of as-obtained products were characterized by techniques such as XRD, SEM, EDX, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. In addition, in order to evaluate the photocatalytic properties of nanocrystalline Ag dope PbTiO 3 , the photocatalytic degradations of simulated methyl orange dye wastewater under ultraviolet light irradiation were carried out. Furthermore, the photocatalysis results reveal that the maximum decolorization of 74 and 66 % for methyl orange occurred with Ag dope PbTiO 3 and PbTiO 3 samples in 90 min under UV light irradiation, respectively.