Synthesis of Gd doped TiO2 Thin Film for Photocatalytic Degradation of Malachite Green.

In this research work, a simple spray pyrolysis method was employed to synthesized gadolinium (Gd) doped titanium oxide (TiO2) thin film. The crystal structure and morphology of the sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). According to XRD measurements, no apparent crystal peak was observed. The thickness of the prepared film was found to be 228 nm from SEM observation. The optical transmittance and bandgap energy of the synthesized thin film was investigated by using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The high transmission of the thin film was found in the visible region. The optical bandgap energy of the prepared film was found to be 2.85 eV. The photocatalytic degradation of malachite green solution was studied. As a result of the photocatalytic experiment, the thin film could be used as an effective photocatalyst for malachite green dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]