Efficient Visible-Light Activities of TiO₂ decorated and Cr³⁺incorporated-porous SmFeO₃ for CO₂ conversion and 4-chlorophenol degradation

In this novel research work, Cr³⁺ incorporated and TiO₂-modified porous SmFeO₃-based nanocomposites are prepared via utilizing carbon nanosphere (CNS) as a hard template. Our experimental results proved that the introduction of porosity by employing a sequential template approach (STA) has upgraded the performances of SmFeO₃ nanoparticles. Remarkably, the incorporation of Cr³⁺ increased the light absorption capability by generating surface states and regulating band gap positions, whereas the fabrication of TiO₂ enlarged surface area and enhanced charge separation by modulating high-level energy electrons (HLEEs). According to our experimental techniques, including TEM, HRTEM, SEM, TGA, BET, PEC, FS, and PL, it is demonstrated that most optimal 6Cr-PSFO and 4TiO₂/6Cr-PSFO nanocomposites have high porosity, appropriate bandgap positions, large surface area, and show superior visible-light photocatalytic activities compared to pristine SmFeO₃ nanoparticles. Compared to pristine SFO, the activities of most active 4TiO₂/6Cr-PSFO nanocomposites are improved by 8-fold for CO₂ conversion and 3-times for 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) degradation. The radical trapping experiment confirmed that the ^·OH i are the most active species and has a vital role in the photocatalytic degradation of 4-CP. Moreover, our experimental results are verified and consistent with theoretical calculations and computational studies. Finally, our research work will open up a new gateway for the designing of novel porous SmFeO₃-based nanocomposites and their use in CO₂ conversion and pollutant removal.