Duple charge separation and plasmonically enriched DSSC and piezo-photocatalytic efficacy of Au anchored perovskite Gd:BiFeO nanospheres.

Enhancing the solar-physical conversion efficacy ability of the nanomaterials is an essential for real-time implementation. We report the enhanced solar-physical efficiency of the BiFeO nanospheres via Gd doping and Au nanoparticles decoration. Initially, we have obtained the BiGdFeO nanospheres were attained via a simple solvothermal technique and then citrate reduction of Au was conducted. Obtained perovskite BiFeO systems were studied for the Gd doping, crystalline phase and elemental purity using the XRD and XPS techniques. Transmission electron microscope had revealed the ∼400 nm sized BiFeO nanospheres. Optical absorption spectrum revealed the enhanced visible photon absorption occurring in BiFeO for both Gd doping and Au decoration. The bandgap values of pristine, 1%, 3% and 5% Gd doped in BiFeO are 2.2 eV, 2.19 eV, 2.17 eV and 2.12 eV, respectively. Conducted photoluminescence revealed the dual electron trapping occurring in BiFeO via Gd ions and Au nanoparticles. LED light assisted 72% of piezo-photocatalytic degradation efficiency of Tetracycline is achieved with BiFeO/Au, whereas the photo catalytic is only 65% and piezo catalytic efficiency is 58%. In recyclable studies the BiGdFeO/Au had shown the consistent piezo-photocatalytic efficiency for 3 reaction cycles. Further, fabricated DSSC studies revealed that near 30 % enhanced solar photovoltaic efficiency for BiFeO/Au (η = 6.5%) solar cells on par to the pristine BiFeO (η = 5.02%).