Photocatalytic and Physicochemical Properties of Pure and Variously CeO2-doped CuO-Fe2O3/Cordierite System

A Mixture of 10wt% CuO-10wt% Fe2O3supported on cordierite and CeO2-doped (0.75-3 mol%) were prepared by wet impregnation. The effects of calcination temperatures (500, 700 and 900°C) and doping ratio on the crystalline phase, morophology, surface area were investigated by XRD, HR-TEM, N2-adsoprtion-desorption. Moreover, their photocatalytic activities of samples calcined at 700°C on the degradation of a mixture of phenol, 4-choloro-phenol and cresol were evaluated under UV irradiation. CeO2-doping led to a progressive increase in SBET. Sample treated with 0.75 mol% CeO2 and calcined at 700°C had the best photocatalytic activity. This might be attributed to the presence of un-reacted oxides (CuO and Fe2O3) which have low redox potentials.