Innovations in p-n type heterostructure composite materials (La 2 O 3 /CeO 2 ) for environmental contamination remediation: synthesis, characterization, and performance assessment

The widespread presence of textile dye pollutants as byproducts in water bodies has raised serious concerns about the impact on the environment and human health. In this study, a nanocomposite material was made and its performance as a photocatalyst was looked at under different optimal conditions. The La 2 O 3 /CeO 2 nanocomposite was created at room temperature using a simple and cost-effective co-precipitation method. In this study, different characterization tools, such as XRD, FE-SEM, UV-Drs, XPS, FT-IR, PL, and EDS, were used to look at the nanoparticles’ structures, shapes, and optical properties. In the photocatalytic activity investigation, methylene blue (MB) dye was employed as a chosen pollutant, and illumination was delivered by a 450-Watt mercury vapor UV lamp. The La 2 O 3 /CeO 2 nanocomposite removed 93% of the methylene blue dye in 100 min, compared to pure La 2 O 3 and CeO 2 nanoparticles (NPs). When the catalyst concentration was optimized at 25 mg/L and the pH was set to 12, 93% of the methylene blue was degraded in 100 min. The recyclability studies also revealed that the La 2 O 3 /CeO 2 photocatalyst maintained an 84% degradation efficiency up to the fourth cycle, indicating that it is a stable and effective catalyst. Studies that used scavengers found that hydroxyl radicals were responsible for the breakdown of MB. Thus, La 2 O 3 /CeO 2 photocatalysts may be regarded as a viable option for degrading organic dye pollutants in aqueous solutions. Graphical Abstract