Effective, Reusable Applications of Nanostructured Silver-MnO2 for Dye Degradation under UV Light and Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Silver-MnO2, a metal-doped semiconductor oxide, was synthesized using a simple precipitation technique and characterized with XRD, FESEM, HR-SEM, TEM, EDS, UV-Vis DRS and PL spectroscopy. The XRD and EDS results confirmed that MnO2 and metallic silver (Ag) are present in the catalyst, whereas FESEM images revealed a blend of nanoparticles with many cavities and hexagonal nanosheets. The HR-SEM and TEM analyses indicated that MnO2 particles have a pentagonal or hexagonal shape with silver clusters on their smooth surfaces. Interestingly, Ag-MnO2 absorbed more light in both the UV and visible areas compared to pure MnO2. The photocatalytic performance of Ag-MnO2 was evaluated by breaking down Evans blue (EB) dye under UV light, it clearly outperformed single-component MnO2 and two-component systems. The enhanced performance is attributed due to the effects of silver doping, which appear to facilitate improved charge separation and transfer within the catalyst. Additionally, Ag-MnO2 demonstrated a high degree of stability and can be reused easily. Over the course of four cycles, the catalytic capacity with a minimal reduction is sustained. Moreover, this material was more hydrophobic than MnO2, which could help with self-cleaning uses.