Photocatalytic activity of Ag/Al(2)O(3)–Gd(2)O(3) photocatalysts prepared by the sol–gel method in the degradation of 4-chlorophenol

The photocatalytic activity in the degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-ClPh) in aqueous medium (80 ppm) using 2.0 wt% Ag/Al(2)O(3)–Gd(2)O(3) (Ag/Al–Gd-x; where x = 2.0, 5.0, 15.0, 25.0 and 50.0 wt% of Gd(2)O(3)) photocatalysts prepared by the sol–gel method was studied under UV light irradiation. The photocatalysts were characterized by N(2) physisorption, X-ray diffraction, SEM, HRTEM, UV-Vis, XPS, FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy. About 67.0% of 4-ClPh was photoconverted after 4 h of UV light irradiation using Ag/γ-–Al(2)O(3). When Ag/Al–Gd-x photocatalysts were tested, the 4-ClPh photoconversion was improved and more than 90.0% of 4-ClPh was photoconverted after 3 h of UV light irradiation in the materials containing 15.0 and 25.0 wt% of Gd(2)O(3). Ag/Al–Gd-25 was the material with the highest efficacy to mineralize dissolved organic carbon, mineralizing more than 85.0% after 4 h of UV light irradiation. Silver nanoparticles and micro-particles of irregular pentagonal shape intersected by plane nanobelts of Al(2)O(3)–Gd(2)O(3) composite oxide were detected in the Ag/Al–Gd-25 photocatalyst. This material is characterized by a lowest recombination rate of electron–hole pairs. The low recombination rate of photo-induced electron–hole pairs in the Ag/Al–Gd-x photocatalysts with high Gd(2)O(3) contents (≥15.0 wt%) confirmes that the presence of silver nanoparticles and microparticles interacting with Al(2)O(3)–Gd(2)O(3) composite oxide entities favors the separation of photo-induced charges (e(−) and h(+)). These materials could be appropriate to be used as highly efficient photocatalysts to eliminate high concentrations of 4-ClPh in aqueous medium.