Photoluminescence emission behavior on the reduced band gap of Fe doping in CeO2-SiO2 nanocomposite and photophysical properties

Fe/CeO 2 -SiO 2 nanocomposite was synthesized via hydrothermal method . Bond length of nanocomposite was determined through FTIR analysis, while Raman analysis showed lattice relaxation of CeO 2 phase in Fe/CeO 2 -SiO 2 . TEM, XRD and DLS-PSA revealed an increase in size of Fe/CeO 2 -SiO 2 as compared to CeO 2 -SiO 2 which was attributed to have more oxygen vacancies in CeO 2 after doping of iron. Lattice contraction was also observed in some phases of CeO 2 in Fe/CeO 2 -SiO 2 nanocomposite as compared to CeO 2 -SiO 2 nanocomposite. This contraction was used for determination of Fe content incorporated in CeO 2 [1 1 1] phase. The band gap values of Fe/CeO 2 -SiO 2 nanocomposite were found reduced after doping of Fe by factors of 0.62 and 0.55 eV, respectively. Photoluminescence study of the materials was carried out to study the different type of transitions occurring after absorption of electromagnetic radiation. Photoluminescence intensity at 2.12 eV was found enhanced after doping of Fe due to increased oxygen vacancy. Photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites was studied with the degradation of chlorpyrifos pesticide.