Pt Nanoparticles Embedded Polypyrrole‐Carbon Black/SrSnO₃ Photocatalyst with Stable and Superior Photodegradation Performance

Abstract

Currently, the primary focus for scientific authorities and regulatory departments revolves around water pollution. In this regard, photocatalysis has emerged as a highly effective, affordable, and goal‐oriented approach. Thus, recognizing the urgency of this issue, we focused our efforts towards developing a novel ternary photocatalytic structure based on mesoporous SrSnO3, combined with polypyrrole‐doped carbon black (PPC) and platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs). Pt NPs, PPC and SrSnO3‐based nanocomposite photocatalyst was developed through a very simple chemical method followed by ultrasonication and photoreduction techniques. XRD analysis confirmed orthorhombic phase of SrSnO3, while the formation of the ternary nanocomposite among Pt NPs, PPC and SrSnO3 has been confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the presence of Pt NPs (5–15 nm), beads/dense cocoon like structures of PPC along with rod, spherical and needle shape nanostructures of SrSnO3 in newly created ternary photocatalyst. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) showed lowering of band gap energy in case of Pt@PPC/SrSnO3. Newly developed Pt@PPC/SrSnO3 nanocomposite worked efficiently when employed on colorless insecticide imidacloprid (IMD) and on colored methylene blue (MB) dye under UV‐light. Pt@PPC/SrSnO3 photocatalyst exhibited excellent performance with 96.03 % removal of pollutant IMD in only 20 min, almost 296 % more efficient than bare SrSnO3. Furthermore, the Pt@PPC/SrSnO3 ternary photocatalyst showed rapid removal of MB with almost total elimination of dye molecule in just 16 min.