Synthesis, Characterization, Photoluminescence and Photocatalytic Properties of Pr(III) Doped CdMoO4 Phosphors

Abstract

In this study, tetragonal-shaped CdMoO4:Pr3+ phosphors were produced using the co-precipitation approach at room temperature. The sample was characterised using various methods such as UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR, SEM, and XRD. XRD pattern revealed a tetragonal phase, and FT-IR spectroscopy indicated that the sample had adsorbed H2O molecules. SEM studies showed the aggregation and development of irregular shapes in the prepared samples. Excitation spectra were obtained by setting the λ wavelength at 605 nm, which resulted in the detection of strong peaks at transitions of (3H4 →3P2), (3H → 3P1), and (3H → 3P) at 453 nm, 477 nm, and 495 nm respectively. Emission spectra were also obtained by exciting the Pr3+ ions at 468 nm, resulting in the detection of distinctive emission spectra at 561 nm and 654 nm at a transition of (3P → 3H ̧) and (3Ð ̧ → 3F2), with a degradation percentage of 95.063% successfully obtained. Using Tauc's plot, the band-gap energy was calculated, and the band-gap energy was found to be 4.415 eV, deemed suitable for photocatalytic activity. The decay curves were well-fitted using the bi-exponential equation for the prepared sample, obtaining an R2 value of 0.977, indicating that the process follows first-order kinetics.