Synthesis of CuO/CeO2 Nanocomposites for Adsorption and Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye

Abstract

Nanocomposites are composed of a wide range of systems, including 1-D, 2-D, 3-D, and unstructured substances, and are blended at nanometer sizes with very distinct constituents. Due to the presence of quantum confinement, surface Plasmon response, tunneling of electrons, and density of states, nanocomposites are superior materials that display unusual and distinctive features. Photocatalysts benefit from unique features offered by nanocomposites made of two or more semiconductors with differing band gaps. Due to their uses and possible threats to living things, dyes are considered the most significant water contaminants. Industrial effluent must be treated using powerful adsorbents and photocatalysts to remove dangerous chemical dyes from contaminated water sources. This paper employs a co-precipitation approach to create photocatalytic CeO₂ nanoparticles and a CuO/CeO₂ nanocomposite for the inexpensive removal of Methylene Blue (MB) from aqueous solution. In this approach, the dispersion of electrons and holes is induced by the absorption of visible light, leading to the breaking of water molecules into radicals. These radicals serve as agents for the degradation of dyes. Utilizing X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Ultra-Violet Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the CuO/CeO₂ nanocomposite has been characterized. The peaks in XRD suggest that the nanocomposite is most likely made up of the crystalline phases of CuO and CeO₂. A sequence of smaller peaks and larger peaks are visible in the measured pattern, spanning the 20° to 40° 2θ range, indicating the presence of amorphous or loosely organized regions inside the material. The results of the FTIR study show that CuO and CeO₂ phases are present in the nanocomposite simultaneously. The results further suggest that the CuO/CeO2 nanocomposite exhibits notable photocatalytic activity, successfully facilitating the decomposition of the reactants under UV-Vis light exposure for a certain period.