Publication details
Defect-rich Nd–Ce nanoparticles as UV light active photocatalyst for enhanced environmental remediation and antibacterial inactivation
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Peer-reviewed scientific article |
| Magazine / Source | Surfaces and Interfaces |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468023026008370 |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfin.2026.109250 |
| Keywords | Ce0.8Nd0.2O1.9 nanoparticles; Rare-earth nanomaterials; Photocatalytic wastewater treatment; Environmental remediation; Antibacterial activity |
| Description | The development of rare-earth-based nanomaterials has broadened their horizons for suitability in multifunctional applications, such as environmental and biomedical fields. In our present study, neodymium-doped cerium oxide has been synthesized using a scalable and economical co-precipitation technique to display superior photocatalytic behaviour and notable antibacterial activity. The powder X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) confirmed the formation of a fluorite-type cubic structure for Ce0.8Nd0.2O1.9 nanoparticles. It is clearly evident from the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) spectrum that the surface morphology of Ce0.8Nd0.2O1.9 nanoparticles is densely populated and non-spherical in shape. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) discloses the successful incorporation of Nd3+ ions into the host CeO2 matrix. The presence of distinct metal-oxygen vibrational modes was revealed by the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The UV–vis diffuse reflectance study further revealed a slight modulation in the optical band gap with an estimated value of 3.35 eV. XRD analysis confirmed the nanoscale nature of the material with an average crystallite size of 5.8 ± 0.7 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) studies suggest an efficient charge carrier separation, which is crucial for the production of reactive species when exposed to light. Under UV light illumination, Ce0.8Nd0.2O1.9 exhibits superior degradation efficiency of approximately 97% and 95% after 70 and 60 min for Rhodamine B and Methyl Orange, respectively, making it a potential candidate for environmental remediation. Its biomedical relevance was further highlighted by the substantial inhibitory zones for antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens namely Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Vibrio cholerae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus sp. The prepared nanomaterial demonstrated the greatest antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Streptococcus sp., exhibiting maximum inhibition zones upto 19 mm at a concentration of 100 µg mL-1. Moreover, the enhanced functionality arises due to the synergistic effects of Nd and Ce in their tailored nanostructure. |