Photocatalytic performance on degradation of Acid Orange 7 dye using biosynthesized un-doped and Co doped CeO2 nanoparticles

Abstract Cobalt doped CeO2 nanoparticles (Co-CeO2 NPs) were prepared in a media that contained Salvadoral persica extract, cerium nitrate, and cobalt sulfate. The analytical methods of PXRD, UV–vis, DRS, BET, FESEM, EDX, and Raman were used to determine the morphology and size of synthesized un-doped and cobalt doped cerium oxide nanoparticles with the percentage of 1–10 %. The spherical shape of synthesized nanoparticles and the size of about 5−30 nm were confirmed through the obtained FESEM results. In addition, PXRD and EDX outcomes were indicative of the well doping of Co into the crystal lattice of CeO2 nanoparticles. We also examined the photocatalytic activity of synthesized nanoparticles on Acid Orange 7 (AO7) dye and realized that the amount of Co doped CeO2 can be effective on the photocatalyst performance. The best photocatalytic performance was observed and recorded in the case of 7 % Co doped CeO2 NPs. Furthermore, the impacts of operational parameters such as pH and concentration of AO7 were evaluated on the activity of 7 % Co doped CeO2 NPs. In conformity to the gathered data, the conditions of AO7 at pH = 5 with 1 g loading of 7 % Co doped CeO2 NPs exhibited the highest percentage of removal (95.4 %) in 180 min and subsequent to performing 4 cycles, only 13.2 % of the photocatalytic activity was declined.