Preparation of CeO2@AC and CeO2@NF nanocomposites for waste water treatment

This research focuses on the elimination of Rose bengal dye using nanoparticles consisting of cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) loaded onto activated carbon (CeO 2 @AC) and carbon nanofibers (CeO 2 @NF). These nanoparticles were developed through co-precipitation techniques. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to verify the structural properties and crystalline dimensions of these nanocomposites . The average particle sizes for CeO 2 , CeO 2 @AC, and CeO 2 @NF nanocomposites are determined to be 7.5 nm, 10.5 nm, and 10.0 nm, respectively from XRD. The TEM images shows regularly shaped spherical particles falling within the size range of 7 to 15 nm. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were utilized to investigate their electronic characteristics and the presence of lattice defects, specifically oxygen vacancies , was quantified. The distinctive structure and lattice defects contribute to the photocatalytic degradation of RB dye, with CeO 2 , AC, and NF exhibiting photocatalytic efficiencies of 75 %, 88 %, and 89.8 %, respectively, when exposed to UV light. Additionally, the magnetic properties of the synthesized samples were examined using a vibrating sample magnetometer . Consequently, cerium oxide nanocomposites combined with activated carbon and nanofibers have demonstrated their utility as multifunctional materials, suitable for photocatalysis .