Iranian Chemical Engineering Journal

Iranian Chemical Engineering Journal

Synthesis of SnO2/Fe-Doped Co3O4 Nanocomposites for Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Degradation of Basic Blue 41 (BB41) Dye

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
F. Haghparast 1
A. Sadeghzadeh-Attar 2
1 M.Sc. Student in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of Kashan
2 Associate Professor of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of Kashan
10.22034/ijche.2024.463210.1421
Abstract
This paper is aimed at investigating the photocatalytic activity of SnO2/Fe-doped Co3O4 nanocomposites for the photocatalytic degradation of basic blue 41 (BB41) dye under visible light irradiation. Considering the harmful effects of pollutants containing industrial dyes on human health and the environment, removing these dyes is of great importance. For this purpose, highly ordered tin dioxide (SnO2) nanotube arrays and cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles doped with different amounts of iron (0, 5, 10 and 15 at.% Fe) were synthesized via the liquid phase deposition (LPD) and sol-gel processes, respectively. Fe-doped Co3O4 nanoparticles were anchored on the surface of SnO2 nanotubes to form heterojunction nanocomposites. The resulting samples were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS) and photoluminescence emission (PL) were characterized.
The results showed that the SnO2/10 at.% Fe-doped Co3O4 nanocomposite exhibited the highest photocatalytic efficiency with a reaction rate constant of 0.065 min-1, which is about 8 and 5.9 times higher than pristine SnO2 nanotubes and Co3O4 nanoparticles, respectively. This enhanced performance can be attributed to the improved charge transfer, red-shift in light absorption and effective electron-hole separation resulting from the doping effects of Fe ions in the Co3O4 lattice and its coupling with SnO2 nanotubes.
 
 
Keywords
SnO2/Co3O4 Nanocomposite
Fe Dopant Photocatalytic Activity
Basic Blue 41 (BB41)
Visible Light
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Iranian Chemical Engineering Journal
Volume 24, Issue 140
September and October 2025
Pages 130-143