Synthesis and Characterization of LaFeO3@ZnS Core-Shell Nanocomposites as Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye

A two-step process involving hydrothermal and co-precipitation methods was used to synthesize core-shell nanoparticles of lanthanum ferrite @zinc sulphide (LaFeO3@ZnS), which were then characterized. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns exhibiting distinct diffraction peaks corresponding to both LaFeO3 and ZnS components confirmed the synthesis of the nanocomposite. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed that the nanocomposite exhibited a core-shell structure. The photoluminescence quenching in LaFeO3@ZnS nanoparticles indicates a decrease in the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was assessed using LaFeO3@ZnS core-shell nanoparticles, which showed a considerable improvement in efficiency compared to the pure LaFeO3 and ZnS nanoparticles. This superior photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the synergistic interaction between the LaFeO3 core and ZnS shell, which led to increased absorption of visible light by the photocatalyst and longer lifetimes of the photogenerated charge carriers without undergoing recombination.