Exploring Ca-doped BaTiO3 perovskite as a promising photocatalyst for visible light degradation of bromophenol blue

Persistent exposure to bromophenol blue can have detrimental impacts on aquatic ecosystems and provide major health and ecological concerns to humans. In this present study a high temperature solid state technique was used to synthesize Ca-Doped BaTiO3 nanomaterials to remove bromophenol blue (BPB) under green energy utilization. The structural, morphological, and optical characteristics of the material were thoroughly examined using XRD, FTIR, PL, UV–Vis DRS, and SEM. The electrical characterization further highlighted the conductive properties emphasising on increased light absorption, decreased electron-hole recombination, and improved charge carrier mobility. Ca doping dramatically enhances photocatalytic activity in comparison to pristine BaTiO3 by altering the electronic structure, boosting charge carrier mobility, and generating advantageous oxygen vacancies that promote the production of reactive species (ROS). Consequently, in visible light, the Ca-doped BaTiO3 demonstrated an incredible 97.5% degradation of BPB after 45 min. The breakdown route was dominated by superoxide radicals (. $$\cdot \text{O}_2^{-}$$ ), according to mechanistic studies employing radical scavengers. The degradation process followed a pseudo-first-order paradigm with nanomaterial maintaining good stability over five consecutive cycles. The prospect of Ca-doped BaTiO3 as a strong and long-lasting photocatalysts for environmental remediation applications is highlighted by the synergistic impact of Ca doping on band structure modulation, light harvesting, and charge separation enhancement.