Structural, optical, surface, and photocatalytic properties of SnO2 films produced by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

Water pollution is a major threat for human health and living things worldwide. SnO2 films are special materials that attract attention in wastewater applications. However, their physical and chemical properties need to be improved to ensure their more efficient use and to increase their competitiveness with TiO2, which is the favorite of such applications. In this work, the effect of solution molarity on photocatalytic and physical properties of SnO2 films produced by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis was reported. Some physical properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction patterns, photoluminescence spectrometry and atomic force microcopy. Photocatalytic tests were carried out using methylene blue pollutant to investigate the potential use of SnO2 films. It was determined that SnO2 film produced from 0.05 M of SnCl4 solution has the highest performance (92.2%) in terms of photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and could be easily reused for four cycles without significant change in the photocatalytic activity.