Unlocking High Photocatalytic Activity: The Advantages of CeO2@PCC Nanocomposite

Abstract

In this study, CeO₂ (cerium dioxide) and CeO₂-doped PCC (precipitated calcium carbonate) with a cubic crystal structure were synthesized using the hydrothermal method. XRD and SEM analyzes were performed to determine the crystal structure and morphology of the synthesized nanoparticles and nanocomposite. The surface areas of the materials were calculated using the BET analysis method. BET and XRD results provided insights into the surface area, crystallite size, and interplanar spacings of pure CeO₂ and CeO₂@PCC nanocomposites. The surface area of pure CeO₂ was measured as 36.35 m²/g, with a crystallite size of 108 nm and a lattice parameter of 5.411 nm. In contrast, the CeO₂@PCC nanocomposite exhibited a higher surface area (44.72 m²/g) and a larger crystallite size (122 nm). Small variations in interplanar spacing confirmed the integration of PCC into the CeO₂ structure. Photocatalytic activity experiments were conducted using CeO₂, PCC, CeO₂@PCC, and UV–vis spectroscopy was employed to analyze the degradation of MB (methylene blue) in solution. The degradation percentages at 150 min were 21.98% for CeO₂ and 36.8% for PCC. Notably, CeO₂@PCC achieved nearly 100% degradation, demonstrating superior photocatalytic performance. These results indicate that CeO₂-doped PCC is a highly effective material for photocatalytic applications.