Abstract
This work is focused on the application of lanthanide-free perovskite Ba(1-x)Sr(x)TiO(3) (0 < x < 1) in valorization of toxic pollutants as 4-nitrophenol (4-NPh). The series of perovskites were fabricated by facile, one-step solid-state preparation method and characterized via various techniques: elemental analysis (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry, ICP-OES), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and dielectric properties (impedance spectroscopy, IS). The methods confirmed the assumed composition, structure and high purity of the materials. The results showed that substitution of Ba(2+) by Sr(2+) in the perovskite crystal lattice influenced the dielectric properties of samples and the size of the grains. The absorption and catalytic properties of Ba((1-x))Sr(x)TiO(3) (0 < x < 1) series were evaluated in reduction of 4-NPh in water using NaBH(4) as reducing agent. No adsorption of 4-NPh was found for all the materials during 180 min of contact (experiment without reducing agent), and the best catalytic performance was found for the Ba((1-x))Sr(x)TiO(3) (x = 0.3) sample. The catalytic transformation of 4-NPh to 4-APh follows a pseudo-first-order model, and the catalysts can be easily regenerated via mild annealing (300 °C).