The impressive photoactivity of Ag/CeCoO3 for methylene blue dye decolorization under illumination

Abstract

This study demonstrates the enhanced photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue (MB) dye using silver nanoparticle-decorated CeCoO₃ (Ag/CeCoO₃) perovskite under UV light irradiation. The Ag/CeCoO₃ photocatalyst was synthesized through a ligand-assisted deposition method and comprehensively characterized using XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDS, PL, and UV-DRS. The incorporation of Ag nanoparticles significantly improved light absorption and charge carrier separation, resulting in a six-fold enhancement in photocatalytic activity compared to pristine CeCoO₃. Under optimized operating conditions (pH 5, 50 °C, catalyst dosage 0.003 g L⁻¹, initial MB concentration 10 ppm), the Ag/CeCoO₃ composite achieved 97% MB decolorization within 25 minutes, exhibiting a reaction rate constant (k) of 0.13 min⁻¹ through pseudo-first-order kinetics. Radical scavenging experiments elucidated the predominant role of photogenerated electrons (e⁻, 71% contribution), hydroxyl radicals (˙OH, 59%), and holes (h⁺, 47%) in the decolorization mechanism. Furthermore, the catalyst maintained exceptional stability and reusability, retaining over 88% of its initial efficiency after four consecutive cycles. These results highlight Ag/CeCoO₃ as a highly efficient and durable photocatalyst for advanced wastewater treatment applications, demonstrating superior performance in organic dye remediation.