Facile fabrication of mesoporous α-Fe2O3/SnO2 nanoheterostructure for photocatalytic degradation of malachite green

A series of alpha-Fe2O3/SnO2 semiconductor nanoheterostructure photocatalysts have been fabricated using a facile co-precipitation method. Precipitation of both SnO2 and alpha-Fe2O3 were achieved with the slow hydrolysis of urea followed by addition of 1% NH3 and the products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), DR UV-vis spectroscopy, and N-2 adsorption-desorption. Analytical results explain the synthesized materials are crystalline, mesoporous, visible light active (except SnO2) and also presents in the nano-order form. The as-prepared alpha-Fe2O3/SnO2 photocatalysts possessed extended light absorption in the visible range and proficient charge separation properties simultaneously. The significant enhancement in the reaction rate was observed in alpha-Fe2O3/SnO2, compared to the bare SnO2 towards photodegradation of malachite green. The highest degradation percentage was found to be 86% with the 2 mol % alpha-Fe2O3/SnO2 modified SnO2 catalyst. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.