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RESEARCH PAPER

Study on the synergistic effect of terbium-doped SnO2 thin film photocatalysts for dye degradation I. Loyola Poul Raj & M. S. Revathy & A. Jegatha Christy & N. Chidhambaram & V. Ganesh & S. AlFaify

Received: 13 May 2020 / Accepted: 9 November 2020 # Springer Nature B.V. 2020

Abstract The undoped and terbium (Tb)-doped SnO2 thin films are coated on the glass substrates using the nebulized spray pyrolysis (NSP) technique. The crystallite size is calculated using the Williamson-Hall method and is found to be decreased from 80 to 56 nm with the increase of Tb doping concentration. Atomic force microscope (AFM) images show the spheroidal shape of the grains. The elemental analysis of the samples was investigated by energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDX). An increase in absorbance and decrease in bandgap values provide more photon absorption which enhances the photocatalytic reaction. The PL studies reveal the creation of

I. L. P. Raj Department of Physics, Ananda College, Devakottai 630303, India M. S. Revathy Department of Physics, School of Advanced Sciences, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil 626126, India A. J. Christy Department of Physics, Jayaraj Annapackiam College for Women, Periyakulam, Theni 625601, India N. Chidhambaram (*) Department of Physics, Rajah Serfoji Government College (Autonomous), Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu 613005, India e-mail: [email protected] V. Ganesh (*) : S. AlFaify Advanced Functional Materials and Optoelectronic Laboratory (AFMOL), Department of Physics, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia e-mail: [email protected]

more defect levels by doping which provides more active sites for catalyzed reactions. The Tb doping with SnO2 improved the rate constant about 0.015/min, and a maximum photocatalytic dye degradation efficiency of 85% against methylene blue dye was observed. Therefore, the fabricated films found potential applications for photocatalysis that enable them to chemical industries.

Keywords Nebulizer spray . SnO2 thin film . Tb-doped . Spherical grains . Defects . Photocatalysis

Introduction In the modern world, due to the industrialization process, a huge number of industries are started to fulfill the needs of mankind in various aspects such as daily needs to luxuries hobbies. In this process, these industries are releasing many waste materials like wastewater dyes and harmful toxins. These toxic materials spoil environmental equilibrium and make human life hard. Especially, the industries related to paper, textiles, plastic, and rubber discharge harmful water which contains aromatic dyes. These dyes not only pollute the natural water flows, but they are hazardous to the environment. In this context, there are many alternative solutions that are invented to reduce the toxicity and dyes present in wastewater released by the industries. Among them, the photocatalysis method is attracted by many researchers as a favorable approach due to its low cost and effectiveness (Jia et al. 2014; Moha