Polyaniline-modified iron and copper Co-doped cerium oxide nanocomposites for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue: Synthesis, and characterization

Abstract

This study investigates the synthesis and photocatalytic performance of cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles doped with iron (Fe) and copper (Cu), both individually and combined with polyaniline (PANI). The materials were characterized using BET surface area analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV–visible spectroscopy. The nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms revealed mesoporous structures with reduced pore volume upon PANI incorporation. TGA indicated distinct degradation patterns for doped and undoped CeO 2 , with additional weight loss for PANI-doped samples. FTIR confirmed Ce-O and dopant bonds, and XRD patterns showed preserved CeO 2 crystallinity . SEM and TEM analyses revealed the morphology and nanoscale interactions between CeO2 and PANI. UV–visible spectroscopy demonstrated a reduction in CeO 2 bandgap, enhancing visible light absorption. Photocatalytic studies showed that the PANI/Fe 0.05 Cu 0.05 CeO 2 composite exhibited superior performance, achieving 79.2 % degradation of methylene blue (MB) after 120 minutes under visible light. These results highlight the potential of PANI/Fe 0.05 Cu 0.05 CeO 2 for advanced photocatalytic applications in environmental remediation. • Multifunctional CeO 2 based nanocomposites with PANI: Enhanced photocatalytic performance. • Comprehensive characterization reveals mesoporous CeO 2 with PANI incorporation. • PANI/Fe 0.05 Cu 0.05 CeO 2 exhibits superior dye degradation under visible light. • Mechanistic insights highlight PANI-mediated electron transfer for enhanced activity. • Novel PANI/Fe 0.05 Cu 0.05 CeO 2 composite achieves 79.2 % dye degradation efficiency.