SiO2 Nanoparticles Derived from Arundo Donax L. Ash Composite with TiO2 Semiconductor for Efficient Photocatalytic Dye Reduction

In this report, the biomass derived silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles composite with titanium dioxide (TiO2) semiconductors used as efficient photocatalyst for degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye molecules under UV-visible light irradiation is proclaimed. At first SiO2 derived from Arundo donax L. ash and TiO2 synthesized using titanium (IV) isopropoxide by co-precipitation method and then their different compositions prepared by wet impregnation method were exampled to various optical and atomic level fundamental studies. The amorphous and crystalline nature of SiO2 and TiO2 ratify from XRD and here it is found that the crystalline nature decreased in their compositions as compared to TiO2. 293 nm UV photons harvesting SiO2 observed which could be due to more impurity states presence on surface is further accomplished red shift after composition with TiO2 lead to moving photons harvesting nature towards visible region. The band gap increases in SiO2/TiO2 composites as for TiO2 composition is rapport well with the aforementioned redshift value. Out of all samples the low recombination rate is procured in 50 wt% SiO2/50 wt% TiO2 composite sample. The separated ~ 100–200 nm sized TiO2 nanoparticle and aggregated tiny SiO2 nanoparticles availability in composite sample is authentically substantiated from electron microscopic studies. The presence of Si, O and Ti elements in composite samples probed by XPS. Following the fundamental studies, the photocatalytic degradation ability of the as-prepared samples has been scrutinized against the degradation of Rh B dye in which the pronounced photocatalytic degradation efficiency 93.7% is successfully achieved on 50 wt% SiO2/50 wt% TiO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst.