Synthesis, physical study and efficient photocatalytic activity of FeTe₂

This paper covers a successfully grown process of iron ditelluride (FeTe₂) thin films deposited on glass substrates. Structural, morphological and optical properties were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical measurements. As well as, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, electrical, thermal and photocatalytic performance of iron ditelluride thin films were determined using photoluminescence spectroscopy, impedance spectroscopy technique and electro-pyroelectric method, for the first time in literature. The XRD results revealed that preferentially orientation along (111) direction at 2θ value of approximately 32.03° have been observed for FeTe₂ films. Besides, the impedance spectroscopy was used to determine the resistance R, the electrical capacitance C_e, as well as the angular frequency of the maximum peak ω_m depending on the effect of temperature. In addition, the activation energy was found equal to E_g = 0.23 eV for iron ditelluride thin film. The thermal measurement for the composite revealed the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of FeTe₂ are about 1.2 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ and 3.9 × 10⁻⁷ m² s⁻¹, respectively. The photocatalytic activity and stability of this material under visible light irradiation towards the degradation of methylene blue dye was carried out. The iron ditelluride composite exhibited a high photocatalytic degradation performance.