Improved photocatalytic activity of Ce-doped NiO nanoparticles against methylene blue and rhodamine B dyes

This study explores the synthesis and photocatalytic efficiency of pure and Ce-doped NiO nanoparticles for the degradation of organic dyes, specifically Methylene Blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB). Using a simple co-precipitation method, nanoparticles with 1%, 3%, and 5% Ce doping were successfully synthesized and characterized using XRD, UV–Vis, FTIR, FESEM, TEM, BET, and XPS techniques. The results confirmed the incorporation of Ce ions into the NiO lattice, leading to reduced bandgap energy, enhanced surface area, and minimized electron–hole recombination, as evidenced by photoluminescence analysis. Under UV light, the 5% Ce-doped NiO nanoparticles demonstrated outstanding photocatalytic performance, achieving 98% and 79% degradation efficiencies for MB and RhB, respectively, within 60 min. Additionally, radical scavenger tests identified hydroxyl radicals as the primary reactive species in the degradation process. These findings underscore the potential of Ce-doped NiO as a highly efficient and stable photocatalyst for environmental remediation and wastewater treatment applications.