Effect of poling on photocatalytic activity with SrBi4Ti4O15 catalyst

Abstract

AbstractThis research article is related to a bismuth oxide‐layered pseudo‐perovskite ferroelectric material and its capabilities in the area of photocatalysis. SrBi4Ti4O15 (SBT) catalyst was prepared via a solid‐state reaction followed by calcination at 950°C sustained over 4 h. X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, bandgap analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the successful synthesis of the SBT catalyst. The photocatalysis capability was checked on a methylene blue (MB) model dye. The poling of the SBT catalyst was performed under 2 kV/mm of electric field. The poling of the catalyst material played a crucial role in enhancing the photocatalytic activity. Moreover, the effect of volume (k(v)), initial concentration (k(ic)) of the MB dye, amount of catalyst (k(c)), and intensity (k(i)) of the light were examined and analyzed by the mathematical model. This study suggested that higher intensity and amount of catalyst enhance photocatalytic activity, whereas higher concentration and volume of dye suppress the photocatalytic activity. The amount of catalyst showed the highest effect on the photocatalytic activity. The rate constant is influenced by these factors and the order of influence is k(c) > k(i) > k(v) ≃ k(ic).