Synthesis of Mn/NiO and Mn/BiOCl nanoparticles for degradation of Nile blue dye contaminated water under visible light illumination

For developing visible-light-responsive photocatalytic materials, the photocatalyst with large surface area and superior charge carrier mobility is of vital importance. Here, we have synthesized Mn/BiOCl and Mn/NiO nanoparticles to achieve efficient charge collection at the Mn/BiOCl and Mn/NiO interface in order to minimize recombination loss. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–Vis spectroscopy (UV–Vis.). The photocatalytic activity of doped photocatalyst was evaluated by the photo discoloration of Nile blue dye in aqueous solutions at its natural pH under visible light irradiation. The maximum color removal efficiency achieved by the doped strewn photocatalyst Mn/BiOCl and Mn/NiO was about 98.4% and 98.7%, respectively. In addition, a possible mechanism on the basis of experimental results was discussed.