Cu-doped K0.5Na0.5NbO3 films obtained by the sol-gel method and their application in the photodegradation of methylene blue
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The remnant polarization of ferroelectric films is a property that can be manipulated by the application of external electric fields and used in the photodegradation of organic pollutants. In this study, the synthesis of copper (Cu) doped K 0.5 Na 0.5 NbO 3 (KNN) thin films obtained by the sol-gel method and grown on glass-ITO substrates by spin coating is presented, to evaluate the efficiency in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB). Films with different Cu concentrations (0.25%, 0.5%, 1%) are synthesized and their structural, morphological, ferroelectric, and photocatalytic properties are studied. For this, characterizations are carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), piezoelectric force microscopy, and photocatalytic performance with the help of UV-Vis spectroscopy measurements. The results show that Cu doping shows the largest crystallite size at 0.25% of Cu. The sample with 1% Cu showed the best performance in the photodegradation of methylene blue, up to 35% with negative polarization. These results suggest that thin films of Cu-doped KNN, obtained by the sol-gel method, offer an alternative for the degradation of organic pollutants in environmental applications by taking advantage of their ferroelectric properties.
Source: Discover Materials
Authors: Luis Daniel García Peralta, Ma. Guadalupe Rivera-Ruedas, Ebelia Del Angel-Meráz, Fátima Montserrat Castañeda de la Hoya, Christian Iván Enriquez-Flores, José Martín Yáñez-Limón
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,590
OpenAlex ID: W4416764429