Tailoring the Electrical, Optical, Physical, and Photocatalytic Properties of Indium-Doped Cerium Molybdate Microstructures Reinforced with a 2D Carbonaceous

Abstract

Composite materials featuring metal oxides incorporated in 2D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have received significant attention as visible-light-driven photocatalysts to address wastewater treatment. In this study, pure (Ce2(MoO4)3) and indium-doped (In-Ce2(MoO4)3) cerium molybdate microstructures were fabricated by the facile coprecipitation route, and the nanocomposite of doped material with the 2D rGO (In-Ce2(MoO4)3/rGO) by ultrasonication. The effect of indium-doping and composite formation on the microstructural, morphological, optical, electrical, surficial, and thermal properties of the cerium molybdate was investigated by various physical, spectroscopic, and electrochemical techniques. XRD results confirm the successful indium-doping in the host lattice. The photocatalytic potential of the fabricated photocatalysts was estimated by degrading methylene blue (MB) dye as a sample pollutant under visible light irradiation. The composite material exhibited enhanced photocatalytic degradation (k = 0.0355 min-1) of the MB dye in comparison to pure (k = 0.0096 min-1) and doped (0.0131 min-1) materials. This superior catalytic activity of the composite material is credited to the synergism arising from indium doping and composite formation, which extends the visible light absorption, suppresses the fast recombination of charges, and enhances the electrical conductivity of the photocatalyst. The present investigation reveals the promising photocatalytic potential of the as-fabricated composite material (In-Ce2(MoO4)3/rGO) for degrading MB in aqueous media, offering an economical and sustainable strategy to address wastewater treatment and environmental remediation.