Enhancing photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by TiO2-CeO2 heterostructure under visible light irradiation

Abstract

TiO₂-CeO₂ heterostructure was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal technique, with an average particle size of 21 nm, and high uniformity from the common precursors. For the characterization of the catalyst properties, the techniques of X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM) were used. The TiO₂-CeO₂ heterostructure exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than TiO₂ in the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye under visible light irradiation. The combination of TiO₂-CeO₂ facilitated electron pathways, creating favorable conditions for efficient separation of electron-hole pairs and enhancing the photocatalytic activity of the material. The TiO₂-CeO₂ heterostructure demonstrated rapid and highly efficient photodegradation of methylene blue, achieving an 89.79% removal rate after 120 minutes of irradiation. This performance, coupled with enhanced visible light utilization, suggests wide applications in the field of photocatalysis.