Gamma irradiation effect on photocatalytic properties of Cu and Sr ions codoped PbS

Gamma-irradiation effects on photocatalytic action of PbS nanocrystallites codoped with Cu and Sr ions were performed for organic dye degradation. The physical and chemical characterizations of these nanocrystallites were examined employing X-ray diffraction, Raman, and field emission electron microscopic analysis. The op-tical bandgaps of gamma-irradiated PbS with co-dopants have shifted from 1.95 eV (pristine PbS) to 2.45 eV in the visible spectrum. Under direct sunlight, the photocatalytic action of these compounds against methylene blue (MB) was investigated. Observations indicated that gamma-irradiated Pb(0.98)Cu0.01Sr0.01S nanocrystallite sam-ple exhibits a higher photocatalytic degradation activity of 74.02% in 160 min and stability of 69.4% after three cycles, suggesting that gamma irradiation could potentially influence organic MB degradation. This is due to combined action of high-energy gamma irradiation (at an optimzed dose), which causes sulphur vacancies, and defects created by dopant ions, which alter the crystal structure by inducing strain in the crystal lattice, hence altering the crystallinity of PbS.

Automated summary

The photocatalytic action of PbS nanocrystallites co-doped with Cu and Sr ions was studied under gamma irradiation for organic dye degradation. The nanocrystallites were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman, and field emission electron microscopic analysis. The optical bandgaps of gamma-irradiated PbS with co-dopants shifted from 1.95 eV (pristine PbS) to 2.45 eV in the visible spectrum. The gamma-irradiated Pb(0.98)Cu0.01Sr0.01S nanocrystallite sample exhibited a higher photocatalytic degradation activity of 74.02% in 160 min and stability of 69.4% after three cycles, suggesting potential influence of gamma irradiation on organic dye degradation.