Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic activity of lithium-indium oxide and its possible improvement by molybdenum-doping

Abstract

© 2020, Editura Academiei Romane. All rights reserved. Lithium-indium oxide (LiInO2) compound is a potential scintillator for solar neutrinos detection, as well as an efficient phosphor candidate. Here we report the properties of LiInO2 for photocatalytic degradation of selected pharmaceutically active compounds under two types of irradiation and examine the possibility of its improvement by Mo-doping. For this investigation, we prepared nanocrystalline LiInO2 powders with 0, 3, and 6 at% of Mo6+ using a two-step mechanochemical procedure with final annealing. X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed that the tetragonal structure is formed (space group: I41/amd), with no additional phases. The microstructure observations and elemental composition determination of obtained powders were performed by scanning electron microscopy. From the diffuse reflectance spectrum, the optical band gap of 3.8 eV (pure LiInO2) was estimated. Photocatalytic activity of these powders was investigated in the degradation of pharmaceutically active compounds (alprazolam, amitriptyline, and ciprofloxacin) under UV and simulated solar irradiation.