Improved visible-light photocatalytic activity of sodium tantalum oxide via biomass-derived silk fibroin doping

Abstract

Biomass-derived silk fibroin (SF)-doped NaTaO3 catalysts were successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process using SF as the dopant. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) analyses. The samples were tested as photocatalysts in the degradation of methylene blue under UV and visible light. XRD results showed the monoclinic structure of NaTaO3 lacking significant structural changes after anion doping. SEM and TEM images revealed the nanocubic morphology of the samples, the crystal particle sizes of which were about 100–300 nm. The XPS spectrum showed the peak of Ta4p3&N1s, indicating the combination of N and Ta. The UV-vis DRS results of the samples revealed a cut-off edge that red shifted from 315 nm of the pure NaTaO3 to 324 nm of the SF-doped counterpart. SF doping helped narrow the band gap and rendered the prepared sample sensitive to visible light. Under UV and visible-light irradiation, SF-doped NaTaO3 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than that the undoped compound. SF-doped NaTaO3 samples also exhibited excellent stability during the recycling photocatalytic process.