Asian Research Journal of Current Science

Improved Photodegradation of Methylene Blue and Rhodamine B by Novel One Step Prepared Ag2CrO4 Nanocatalyst under Sunlight Irradiation

P. P. George *

Department of Basic Science and Humanities, Mangalam College of Engineering, (Affiliated to APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, CET Campus, Thiruvananthapuram-695016 and approved by AICTE, New Delhi) Mangalam Campus, Vettimukal, P.O, Ettumanoor, Kottayam District, Kerala 686631, India.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

---

Abstract

Silver chromate [Ag₂CrO₄] nanoparticles with an average size of 55 nm were prepared with the aid of microwave irradiation. The sun-light photocatalytic activity of Ag₂CrO₄ nanocrystals was investigated. The potential of the silver chromate nanoparticles as photocatalyst against two organic dyes such as Methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) was tested. The Silver chromate nanoparticles play a dual role. The silver chromate nanoparticles adsorbed and concentrated the dye from the bulk solution and in another role degraded the adsorbed dye, resulting in a high rate of dye degradation. The photocatalytic mechanism of the one step synthesized Ag₂CrO₄ nanocatalyst was studied. The combination of holes (h+), hydroxyl (OH^_), and O₂ takes place in the Ag₂CrO₄ mediated photocatalytic degradation of the dyes. Under sun light illumination at neutral pH, the silver chromate nanoparticles were proven as an excellent adsorbent and photocatalyst for the complete degradation of Methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) within 50 min. These valuable findings motivated the design of dye degradation processes. In addition, a possible formation mechanism of Ag₂CrO₄ nanocrystals was also proposed according to the experimental results.

Keywords: Relatives of Isoetes pantii, Ag2CrO4 spinel, spiny spores in lycophyta New species of lsoetes, sunlight, photocatalyst, photoluminescence and mechanism

---

---

---

References

Bhagavanth RG, Ramakrishna D, Rajkumar B, Kondaiah S, Koteswararao D, Girija MK, Shalan AE. Microwave-assisted preparation of a silver nanoparticles/N-doped carbon dots nanocomposite and its application for catalytic reduction of rhodamine B, methyl red and 4- nitrophenol dyes., RSC Adv. 2021;11:5139–5148.

DOI: 10.1039/d0ra10679h

Batool, M., M. F. Nazar, A. Awan, M. B. Tahir, A. Rahdar, A. E. Shalan, S. L. Méndez, and M. N. Zafar. Bismuth-based heterojunction nanocomposites for photocatalysis and heavy metal detection applications, Nano-Structures & Nano-Objects. 2021;27:100762-85.

DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoso.2021.100762

Sanad MF, Shalan AE, Ahmeda MA, Messiha MFA. The controlled synthesis and DFT investigation of novel (0D)–(3D) ZnS/SiO2 heterostructures for photocatalytic applications. RSC Adv. 2021;11:22352–22364.

DOI: 10.1039/d1ra02284a.

Sanad MF, Shalan AE, Bazid SM, Abdelba SM. Pollutant Degradation of Different Organic Dyes using the photocatalytic activity of ZnO@ZnS Nanocomposite Materials. J. Env. Chem. Engg. 2018;6:3981-3990.

DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2018.05.035

Daher MG, Taya SA, Colak I, Patel SK, Olaimat MM, Ramahi O. Surface plasmon resonance biosensor based on graphene layer for the detection of waterborne bacteria, Journal of Biophotonics. 2022;22.

DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202200001

Dana NA, Taya SA, Colak I, Patel SK. Properties of the defect mode of a ternary photonic crystal having an n-doped semiconductor as a defect layer: TE case. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing. 2022;144:106626.

Available:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mssp.2022.106626

Sofyan AT, Sharma A, Doghmosh N, Colak I. Detection of water concentration in ethanol solution using a ternary photonic crystal-based sensor. Materials Chemistry and Physics. 2022;279:125772.

Available:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2022.125772

Sofyan AT, Alhamss DN, Colak I, Patel SK. Sensitivity enhancement of an optical sensor based on a binary photonic crystal for the detection of Escherichia coli by controlling the central wavelength and the angle of incidence. Optical and Quantum Electronics. 2022;54:127.

DOI: 10.1007/s11082-022-03511-3.

Sinha AK, Pradhan M, Sarkar S, Pal T. Large-scale solid-state synthesis of Sn–SnO2 nanoparticles from layered SnO by sunlight: a material for dye degradation in water by photocatalytic reaction, Environ Sci Technol. 2013;47:2339-2345.

DOI: doi.org/10.1021/es303413q.

Apsana G, George PP, Devanna N, Yuvasravana R. One-Step Green Synthesis, Characterization, Optical, and Photocatalytic Properties of Metal Iodide (MI, M = Ag and Cu) Nanoparticles, J. Bionanosci. 2018;12(2):191-199.

DOI: doi.org/10.1166/jbns.2018.1523

Vu TA, Dao CD, Hoang TT, Nguyen KT, Le GH, Dang PT, Tran HT, Nguyen TV. Highly photocatalytic activity of novel nano-sized Ag3PO4 for Rhodamine B degradation under visible light irradiation, Mater. Lett. 2013;92:57-60.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2012.10.023

Apsana G, George PP. Enhanced antibacterial, and photocatalytic properties of Bio-mimetically synthesized AgCl nanostructures using various proportions of Ocimum leaf extract, Mater Focus. 2018;7(5):628-639.

DOI: doi.org/10.1166/mat.2018.1566

Deng TY, Liu C, Liu JK, Yang XH. The facile synthesis, properties and application of ZAO nanomaterials. J exp Nanosci. 2015;10:738-745.

DOI: doi.org/10.1080/17458080.2014.890750.

Abu-Zied BM. Structural and catalytic activity studies of silver/chromia catalysts, Appl. Catal. A. 2000;198:139-153.

DOI: 10.1016/S0926-860X(99)00508-6.

Ye Y, Yang H, Zhang H, Jiang J. A promising Ag2CrO4/LaFeO3 heterojunction photocatalyst applied to photo-Fenton degradation of RhB, Env. Tech. 2020;41(12):1486-1503.

DOI: doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2018.1538261

Ouyang S, Li Z, Ouyang Z, Yu T, Ye J, Zou Z. Correlation of crystal structures, electronic structures, and photocatalytic properties in a series of Ag-based oxides: AgAlO2, AgCrO2, and Ag2CrO4. J Phys Chem. 2008;112:3134-3141.

DOI: doi.org/10.1021/jp077127w.

Liu Y, Yu HH, Cai M, Sun J. Microwave hydrothermal synthesis of Ag2CrO4 photocatalyst for fast degradation of PCP-Na under visible light irradiation. Catal Commun. 2012;26:63-67.

DOI: 10.1016/j.catcom.2012.04.017.

Shen J, Lu Y, Liu JK, Yang XH. Photocatalytic activity of silver chromate materials by various synthesis methods, J. Exp. Nanosci. 2016;11:650-659.

DOI: doi.org/10.1080/17458080.2015.1110624.

Liu JK, Luo CX, Quan N-J. Preparation and optical properties of silver chromate self-assembly necklace structures, J. Nanopart. Res. 2008;10:531-535.

DOI: 10.1007/s11051-007-9277-8.

Soofivand F, Mohandes F, Salavati-Niasari M. Silver chromate and silver dichromate nanostructures: Sonochemical synthesis,characterization, and photocatalytic properties, Mater. Res, Bull. 2013;48:2084-2094.

DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.materresbull.2013.02.025

Fabbro MT, Gracia L, Silva GS, Santos LPS, Andres J, Cordoncillo E, Longo E. Understanding the formation and growth of Ag nanoparticles on silver chromate induced by electron irradiation in electron microscope: A combined experimental and theoretical study, J. Solid State Chem. 2016;239:220-227.

DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2016.03.050

Liu L, Wu Q, Ding Y, Liu H, Qi J, Liu Q. Biomimetic Synthesis of Ag2CrO4 Quasi-Nanorods and Nanowires by Emulsion Liquid Membranes, Aust. J. Chem. 2004;57:219-222.

DOI: doi.org/10.1071/CH03095

Tian G, Yuan HM, Mu Y, Hydrothermal reactions from sodium hydrogen carbonate to phenol. Org Lett. 2007;9:2019-2021.

DOI: doi.org/10.1021/ol070597o

Weinstock N, Schuze H, MulIer A. Assignment of ν2(E) and ν4(F2) of tetrahedral species by the calculation of the relative Raman intensities: The vibrational spectra of VO3-4, CrO2-4, MoO2-4, WO2-4, MnO-4, TcO-4, ReO-4, RuO4, and OsO4, J Chem Phys. 1973;59:5063-5067.

DOI: doi.org/10.1063/1.1680724

Xu D, Cao S, Zhang J, Cheng B, Yu J. Effects of the preparation method on the structure and the visible-light photocatalytic activity of Ag2CrO4, Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014;5:658-666.

DOI: doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.5.77

Alamdari RF, Hajimirsadeghi SS, Kohsari I. Synthesis of silver chromate nanoparticles: Parameter optimization using Taguchi design, Inorg. Mater. 2010;46:60-64.

DOI: 10.1134/S0020168510010140.

Apsana G, George PP, Devanna N, Yuvasravana R. Enhanced Morphology and Efficient One-Pot Microwave Green Synthesis of Ag3PO4 Nanocubes and Their Optical and Photocatalytic Properties, J. Bionanosci. 2017;11(5):428-434.

DOI: doi.org/10.1166/jbns.2017.1467

Carter RL. Vibrational Spectra of Ag2CrO4. Spect. Lett. 1972;5(11):401-406.

DOI: doi.org/10.1080/00387017208065408.

Santamarıa-Perez D, E. Bandiello D. Errandonea, J Ruiz-Fuertes, Gomis O, Sans JA, Manjon FJ, Rodriguez-Hernandez P, Munoz A. Phase behaviour of Ag2CrO4 under compression: Structural, vibrational, and optical properties, J Phys Chem. 2013;117:12239-12248.

DOI: doi.org/10.1021/jp401524s