Highly efficient photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants by Sn/Al codoped α-Fe 2 O 3 nanostructures

Herein, we synthesized a nanostructured Sn/Al codoped Fe 2 O 3 photocatalyst by a simple and cost-effective hydrothermal approach followed by air annealing. The effect of in situ Sn and Al doping on the morphological, structural, and photocatalytic properties of hydrothermal Fe 2 O 3 -based photocatalysts has been studied. The presence of Al 2 O 3 /SnO 2 and Sn/Al codoping in the 2%Al/6%Sn/Fe 2 O 3 nanostructured photocatalyst is confirmed by the XPS analysis. The synergistic impact between Sn and Al codoping and Al 2 O 3 /SnO 2 surface modification significantly improves the photocatalytic activity of Fe 2 O 3 -based photocatalysts for salicylic acid degradation. The optimum 2%Al/6%Sn/Fe 2 O 3 nanostructured photocatalysts achieved 96.9% salicylic acid degradation efficiency within 150 min under the mimic solar light illumination. The possible electron transfer and radical generation during the photocatalytic reaction over pure and 2%Al/6%Sn/Fe 2 O 3 nanostructured photocatalysts has been proposed. Therefore, this work could offer new insight into designing and understanding the synergistic role of Al 2 O 3 /SnO 2 surface modification and Sn/Al codoping in the photocatalytic properties of the Fe 2 O 3 photocatalysts for water treatment applications.