Facile Synthesis of Ce–Doped SnO ₂ Nanoparticles: A Promising Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution and Dyes Degradation

Abstract This report discussed the efficient hydrogen generation via water splitting and fast dye degradation pathway using Ce doped SnO 2 nanoparticles. One pot synthesis of Ce doped SnO 2 nanoparticles was carried out by a simple, convenient wet chemical method using H 2 O 2 and the product obtained was characterized using array of physico‐chemical techniques. Powder X‐ray diffraction confirmed the presence of rutile phase. Band gap for Ce:SnO 2 was found out to be 3.80 eV which is more than the pure SnO 2 (3.71 eV) and it is due to Moss‐Burstein effect. EDAX analysis and elemental mapping support uniform distribution of 5% Ce and the SEM imaging depicts irregular shape of nanocrystallites. The doping of 5% Ce into the interstitial and lattice positions of SnO 2 nanoparticles was also confirmed by the X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Raman measurement and photoluminescence analysis showed the presence of oxygen vacancies and disorderness in the nanoparticles. Photocatalytic water splitting proficiency was investigated using Ce doped SnO 2 nanomaterials in the presence of NiO as co‐catalyst and other different sacrificial reagents such as methanol, Na 2 S‐Na 2 SO 3 , EDTA ions, triethanolamine and in combinations. It was found that the evolution of H 2 is maximum i. e. 25 μmol/g/h in presence of as‐synthesized catalyst, NiO (co‐catalyst) along with EDTA and methanol as scavengers under UV light irradiation. Further, the degradation of methylene blue and methyl orange dyes was investigated under UV‐Visible irradiation using Ce:SnO 2 NPs.