Microwaved assisted synthesis Ag₂O/TiO₂/CeO₂ for highly efficient photocatalyst

Photocatalyst Ag₂O/TiO₂/CeO₂ composites were prepared using the microwave assisted method. The concentration of CeO₂, was varied from 25 weight percentage (wt.%) to 75 (wt.%), and the physical properties of the composites were studied by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and different thermal analysis, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The composites were confirmed by the existence of the cubic phase from Ag₂O and CeO₂, and the anatase structure of TiO₂ nanoparticles. The thermal degradation analysis confirmed the weight lost at 400 C followed by the heat released around 200°C due to the phase transformation from Ag₂O into Ag nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of Ag₂O/TiO₂/CeO₂ composites were investigate to remove methylene blue from the aqueous solutions under alkaline condition. The degradation of methylene blue was analyzed by investigating the absorbance around 633 nm. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity results show that the Ag₂O/TiO₂/CeO₂ composites exhibit good photocatalytic performance for removing methylene blue from the aqueous solution, indicating that the Ag₂O/TiO₂/CeO₂ composites are promising materials for waste water treatment.