Characteristics and Photocatalytic Properties of Ti/TiO2–SiO2–MxCuFe2 – xO4 (M = Gd, Ho, or Ce) Film Composites

Photocatalytic film composites Ti/TiO2–SiO2–MxCuFe2 – xO4 (M = Gd, Ho, or Ce) were prepared by facile and environmentally friendly methods including plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) and sol–gel technology. The film composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, impedance spectroscopy, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Doping with rare-earth elements increased degradation degree of methyl orange (MO) under UV light compared to undoped sample. An MO degradation mechanism under UV light was proposed based on the optical and electrochemical measurements. The prepared materials were shown to have a potential for use in photocatalytic water purification from organic pollutants.