Abstract:
This study evaluates the efficiency of Congo red (CR) dye degradation through photocatalysis using ZnO and La2O3 nanoparticles synthesized with laurel extracts. The results demonstrate a significant enhancement in CR degradation efficiency with laurel extract, particularly with an optimal mass of 2 g for ZnO synthesis. La2O3 photocatalytic performances are slightly lower than those of ZnO. Furthermore, the study examines the impact of catalyst mass, initial dye concentration, and solution pH on degradation efficiency. Characterization via XRD and FTIR reveals that ZnO nanoparticles have a hexagonal structure with an average crystallite size of [10.94 - 28.17] nm, while La2O3 nanoparticles exhibit hexagonal and cubic structures with particle sizes ranging from 8.00 to 64.03 nm for the hexagonal structure and 7.99 to 57.10 nm for the cubic structure.
These findings underscore the significance of photocatalytic catalysts in organic dye degradation and highlight the potential of environmentally friendly synthesis methods for producing such catalysts.
