The effects of calcination on sol-gel synthesized Gd2Ti2O7 photocatalyst for degradation of Reactive Brilliant Red X-3B

Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) was used as a template in the sol to synthesize Gd2Ti2O7. The effects of calcination temperature on the characteristics of the Gd2Ti2O7 samples were studied. The crystallite sizes of Gd2Ti2O7 prepared at 800, 900 and 1000 degrees C were calculated to be 33.5, 37.6 and 46.5 nm. The bandgap energies of the Gd2Ti2O7 samples were between 3.21 and 3.37 eV when the calcination temperature ranged from 600 to 1000 degrees C. The Gd2Ti2O7 sample obtained at 800 degrees C had the weakest photoluminescence intensity, i.e., the longest lifetime for the charge carriers. The amorphous samples had large surface area and pore volume but the crystallized Gd2Ti2O7 materials had apparently small values. The amorphous materials had very poor activity, and the Gd2Ti2O7 sample calcined at 800 degrees C had the strongest activity on RBR X-3B degradation.

Automated summary

In this study, Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) was used as a template to synthesize Gd2Ti2O7 in a sol-gel process. The effects of calcination temperature on the characteristics of Gd2Ti2O7 samples were investigated, showing variations in crystallite sizes and bandgap energies at different temperatures, with the sample prepared at 800 degrees Celsius exhibiting the weakest photoluminescence intensity.