Band gap engineered polymeric-inorganic nanocomposite catalysts: Synthesis, isothermal stability, photocatalytic activity and photovoltaic performance

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2016.11.031

Abstract

Abstract:

Polymeric-inorganic nanocomposite catalysts were synthesized by facile one-pot chemical polymerization of pyrrole in the presence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The electrical, optical, photovoltaic performance of dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) and visible light driven photocatalytic activities of the nanocomposite were investigated. The prepared nanocomposite displays excellent photo-activity, attaining 100% degradation of methyl orange dye in 60 min under visible light source while 55% for pure TiO₂ under similar experimental conditions. The photovoltaic performance of the polypyrrole-titanium dioxide (PPy-TiO₂) nanocomposite has a 51.4% improvement with a photo-conversion efficiency of 8.07% as compared to pure TiO₂ based DSSC. By comparing the physical mixture of the PPy-TiO₂ nanocomposite and pristine TiO₂, the enhanced activity of the PPy-TiO₂ nanocomposite can be attributed to the reduced charge transfer resistance, outstanding electrical conductance of the PPy, the nano-sized structure of TiO₂ and their synergetic effect. Furthermore, the PPy-TiO₂ nanocomposite shows excellent electrical conductivity and isothermal stability under ambient conditions below 110 °C.

Key words: Nanocomposite, Electrical conductivity, Isothermal stability, Visible light active, Photo-degradation

Baig Umair, Gondal M.A., Ilyas A.M., Sanagi M.M.. Band gap engineered polymeric-inorganic nanocomposite catalysts: Synthesis, isothermal stability, photocatalytic activity and photovoltaic performance[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2017, 33(6): 547-557.

Figures/Tables 16

Fig 1. Schematic diagram of the formation mechanism of (A) PPy and (B) PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite.

Fig. 2. FTIR spectra of PPy, TiO2 and PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite.

Fig. 3. (A) Low magnification TEM image of PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite; (B) corresponding selected area diffraction (SAED) pattern of PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite; (C) high resolution TEM (HR-TEM) image of PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite revealing lattice fringes and (D) corresponding FFT pattern of PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite.

Fig. 4. FE-SEM images of (A) PPy, (B) TiO2, (C) PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite and (D) corresponding EDS elemental mapping of PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite: Carbon (C, Blue), Nitrogen (N, Red), Oxygen (O, Light grey) and Titanium (Ti, Green).

Fig. 5. X-ray diffraction pattern of PPy,TiO2 and PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite.

Fig. 6. TGA curves of PPy,TiO2 and PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite.

Fig. 7. Temperature dependence electrical conductivity of PPy and PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite.

Fig. 8. Isothermal stability of (A) PPy and (B) PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite in terms of direct current electrical conductivity retention at 30 °C, 70 °C, 90 °C, 110 °C and130 °C.

Fig. 9. UV-DRS spectrs of TiO2 and PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite.

Fig. 10. Optical transition type band gap determination of (A) TiO2 and PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite. Band gap determination by Tauc’s approch of (B) TiO2 and (C) PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite.

Fig. 11. (A) Changes of methyl orange dye concentration onto TiO2, PPy + TiO2, PPy-TiO2 photocatalysts and photolysis of MO dye (without catalyst) under visible light irradiation as a function of irradiation time and (B) comparison of photodegradation of methyl orange dye onto various photocatalysts (ARR = average reaction rate). Experimental conditions: catalyst = 50 mg, volume of methyl orange solution = 100 mL, initial concentration = 10 mg L-1.

Fig. 12. First-order plots for the photocatalytic degradation over TiO2, PPy + TiO2, PPy-TiO2 photocatalysts without catalyst under visible light irradiation.

Fig. 13. Schematic illustration of the possible reaction mechanism over PPy-TiO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst under visible light irradiation.

Fig. 14. (A) Current density-Voltage curves of PPy-TiO2@P25 and TiO2@P25, and (B) Nyquist plot of PPy-TiO2@P25 and TiO2@P25.

Table 1 Photovoltaic parameters of the fabricated DSSC.

Sample	I_SC	V_OC	Fill Factor (FF)	Efficiency (EFF)	R_CT
TiO₂@P25	4.40	0.48	0.42	5.34	55.5
PPy-TiO₂@P25	5.40	0.59	0.47	8.08	33.5

Fig. 15. Charge transfer mechanism in PPy-TiO2@P25 DSSC.

References

[1]	H. Fu, C. Pan, W. Yao, Y. ZhuJ.Phys. Chem. B, 109(2005), pp. 22432-22439
[2]	T. Wu, G. Liu, J. Zhao, H. Hidaka, N. SerponeJ.Phys. Chem. B, 102(1998), pp. 5845-5851
[3]	S.G. Rashid, M.A. Gondal, A. Hameed, M. Aslam, M.A. Dastageer, Z.H.YamaniRSC Adv., 5(2015), pp. 32323-32332
[4]	X. Chang, S. Wang, Q. Qi, M.A. Gondal, S.G. Rashid, D. YangAppl.Catal. B Environ.,176-177(2015), pp. 201-211
[5]	P.C. Yao, S.T.HangSol. Energy, 108(2014), pp. 322-330
[6]	S. Shi, M.A. Gondal, A.A.Al-Saadi, R.Fajgar, J. Kupcik, X. ChangJ. Colloid Interface Sci., 416(2014), pp. 212-219
[7]	L. Jing, Z.Y. Yang, Y.F. Zhao, Y.X. Zhang, X. Guo, Y.M.YanJ. Mater. Chem. A, 2(2014), pp. 1068-1075
[8]	B. O’Regan, M. Gr?tzelNature, 353(1991), pp. 737-740
[9]	A. Fujishima, K. HondaNature, 238(1972), pp. 37-38
[10]	X. Yang, L. Zhang, Z. Chen, H. Jing, Y. Chen, Q. LiSci.Eng. Compos. Mater., 23(2016), pp. 269-275
[11]	S.L. Chung, C.M.WangJ. Mater.Sci. Technol., 28(2012), pp. 713-722
[12]	J. Liu, J. Luo, W. Yang, Y. Wang, L. Zhu, Y. XuJ.Mater. Sci. Technol., 31(2015), pp. 106-109
[13]	M.A. Gondal, A.A. Adesida, S.G. Rashid, S. Shi, R. Khan, Z.H.YamaniReact. Kinet.Mech. Catal., 114(2014), pp. 357-367
[14]	M.O. Ansari, M.M. Khan, S.A. Ansari, J. Lee, M.H.ChoRSC Adv., 4(2014), pp. 23713-23719
[15]	M. Aleksandrzak, P. Adamski, W. Kuku?ka, B. Zielinska, E. MijowskaAppl.Surf. Sci., 331(2015), pp. 193-199
[16]	H. Huang, D. Li, Q. Lin, W. Zhang, Y. Shao, Y. ChenEnviron.Sci. Technol., 43(2009), pp. 4164-4168
[17]	M. Li, X. Li, G. Jiang, G. HeCeram.Int., 41(2015), pp. 5749-5757
[18]	Q. Xu, J. Feng, L. Li, Q. Xiao, J. Wang J.Alloys Compd., 641(2015), pp. 110-118
[19]	C. Yang, Y. Zhu, J. Wang, Z. Li, X. Su, C. NiuAppl.Clay Sci.,105-106(2015), pp. 243-251
[20]	J. Wang, G. Ji, Y. Liu, M.A. Gondal, X. Chang Catal.Commun., 46(2014), pp. 17-21
[21]	V. Niksefat, M. GhorbaniJ.Alloys Compd., 633(2015), pp. 127-136
[22]	L. Wang, J. Zhang, C. Li, H. Zhu, W. WangJ.Mater. Sci. Technol., 27(2011), pp. 59-63
[23]	H. Xu, L. Wu, L. Jin, K. WuJ.Mater. Sci., 50(2015), pp. 3057-3066
[24]	X. Lu, Q. Wang, D. CuiJ.Mater. Sci. Technol., 26(2010), pp. 925-930
[25]	H. Nasution, E. Purnama, S. Kosela, J. GunlazuardiCatal.Commun., 6(2005), pp. 313-319
[26]	Q. Zhang, Y. Li, E.A. Ackerman, M. Gajdardziska-Josifovska, H. LiAppl.Catal. A Gen., 400(2011), pp. 195-202
[27]	S.W. Verbruggen, M. Keulemans, M. Filippousi, D. Flahaut, G. Van Tendeloo, S. Lacombe Catal. BEnviron., 156-157(2014), pp. 116-121
[28]	Z. Bian, T. Tachikawa, P. Zhang, M. Fujitsuka, T. MajimaJ.Am. Chem. Soc., 136(2014), pp. 458-465
[29]	B. Zheng, Y. Lin, J. Lan, X. YangJ.Mater. Sci. Technol., 30(2014), pp. 423-426
[30]	J. Li, Q. Zhang, J. Feng, W. YanChem.Eng. J., 225(2013), pp. 766-775
[31]	N.M. Dimitrijevic, S. Tepavcevic, Y. Liu, T. Rajh, S.C. Silver, D.M.TiedeJ. Phys. Chem. C, 117(2013), pp. 15540-15544
[32]	F. Deng, Y. Li, X. Luo, L. Yang, X. Tu Colloids Surf. A Physicochem. Eng. Aspects, 395(2012), pp. 183-189
[33]	H. Yuvaraj, E.J. Park, Y.S. Gal, K.T.LimColloid Surf. A Physicochem.Eng. Aspects, 313-314(2008), pp. 300-303
[34]	D. Chowdhury, A. Paul, A. Chattopadhyay Langmuir, 21(2005), pp. 4123-4128
[35]	M. Yu, Y. Zeng, C. Zhang, X. Lu, C. Zeng, C. Yao Nanoscale, 5(2013), pp. 10806-10810
[36]	M. Ouyang, R. Bai, Y. Xu, C. Zhang, C.A. Ma, M. WangTrans.Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 19(2009), pp. 1572-1577
[37]	K. Kawai, N. Mihara, S. Kuwabata, H. YoneyamaJ.Electrochem. Soc., 137(1990), pp. 1793-1796
[38]	J.D. Kwon, P.H. Kim, J.H. Keum, J.S.KimSol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells, 83(2004), pp. 311-321
[39]	J. Li, J. Feng, W. YanAppl.Surf. Sci., 279(2013), pp. 400-408
[40]	P. Zhang, Z. Liu, Y. Liu, H. Fan, Y. Jiao, B. ChenElectrochim.Acta, 184(2015), pp. 1-7
[41]	A.H.P.De Oliveira, H.P. De OliveiraJ. Power Sources, 268(2014), pp. 45-49
[42]	A.A. Khan, U. BaigSens.Actuators B Chem., 177(2013), pp. 1089-1097
[43]	A.A. Khan, U. BaigSolid State Sci., 15(2013), pp. 47-52
[44]	A.A. Khan, U. Baig, M. KhalidJ.Ind. Eng. Chem., 19(2013), pp. 1226-1233
[45]	A.A. Khan, U. BaigJ.Ind. Eng. Chem., 18(2012), pp. 1937-1944
[46]	A.A. Khan, U. BaigCompos.Part B Eng., 56(2014), pp. 862-868
[47]	N. Parvatikar, S. Jain, S.V. Bhoraskar, M.V.N.A. PrasadJ.Appl. Polym. Sci., 102(2006), pp. 5533-5537
[48]	D.C. Hurum, K.A. Gray, T. Rajh, M.C.ThurnauerJ. Phys. Chem. B, 109(2005), pp. 977-980