Rare Earth Metals Research Articles

Stimulating effect of low concentrations of Eu<sup>3+</sup> on spontaneous cardiac contractions

The negative cumulative effects of lanthanides on the human body are well known; they are associated mainly with the toxic effects of rare earth metals (REE) on muscle tissue. However, the effects of low concentrations of these metals on muscle are less understood. In our work, we found out an unusual stimulating effect of low concentrations of europium (Eu3+) on spontaneous contractions of atria of a frog. The purpose of this study was to study the stimulating effect of Eu3+ on the contraction of atria, both normally and in the presence of the mitochondrial respiration inhibitor sodium azide (NaN3). The study was carried out using two experimental models: muscle preparations obtained from isolated atria of the heart of the frog Rana ridibunda and mitochondria isolated from the heart of male Wistar rats. As a result of the studies, it was established that Eu3+ in a concentration of 0.2 mM, at a temperature of 20°C, potentiated contractions of the frog atria in situ; both the amplitude and the maximum rate of increase of single spontaneous contractions increased. Spontaneous atrial contractions became more resistant to the effects of 1 mM NaN3. At the same time, Eu3+ did not affect the respiration of energized mitochondria (activated by ADP (state 3) or 2,4-dinitrophenol (state 3UDNP). The intensity of this respiration decreased after the calcium load of mitochondria, regardless of the presence of Eu3+ in the medium. Thus, Eu3+ ions at low concentrations (0.2 mM) stimulated atrial contraction and had a positive inotropic effect. The stimulating effect of low concentrations of Eu3+ on the heart can be explained by the synergism in the action of Ca2+ and Eu3+ on calcium channels, stimulation of Ca2+-dependent processes in cardiomyocytes and the absence of a negative effect on mitochondrial respiration.

Design optimisation of rare earth metal doped polymer optical planar waveguide sensor for microplastics detection in water

Design optimisation of rare earth metal doped polymer optical planar waveguide sensor for microplastics detection in water

CeVO4/KB Nanoparticles on Shuttle Effect Inhibition in Lithium-Sulfur Battery Separator Modification.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries display promise as redox-based batteries, where separators are an essential part of preventing short-circuiting of the positive and negative electrodes, while the shuttle effect is a critical issue of separators. Currently, commercial PP separators are weak in inhibiting the polysulfides shuttling, so modified separators are needed to inhibit it to improve the battery performance. This paper reports that CeVO4/KB composites act as separator materials. CeVO4/KB modified PP separators enhanced the adsorption of LiPSs, accelerated the rate of Li+ migration, and catalyzed the conversion of LiPSs. These bring about the effect that CeVO4/KB/PP batteries reach 1200.9 mAh g-1 in the first cycle with a capacity retention rate of 86.5 % after 100 cycles at 0.2 C and reach 882.7 mAh g-1 of the initial cycle with a capacity decay rate of 0.063 % after 1000 cycles at 3 C. This work introduces rare earth metal vanadates to modify the separator, adding new ideas for designing separators for good-performance batteries.

Sorption-desorption of rare earth metal cations by ferromanganese crusts of Govorov’s guyote of the Magellanic Mountains of the Pacific Ocean

The article presents the results of experimental studies on the sorption and desorption of rare earth metal (REM) cations by cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts (CMC) of Govorov’s guyot. It has been established that the sorption of REM cations occurs on the ore minerals KMK – Fe-vernadite, vernadite, Mn-feroxygite, goethite. The crusts are characterized by a high exchange capacity – 1.78–3.57 mg-eq/g, which increases in a series: (Dy Gd Lu Sm Nd Y, La Eu) Ce. The sorption of REM cations proceeds by an ion exchange equivalent irreversible mechanism. The exchange complex of ore minerals consists of Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ cations, which contribute 97‒98% to their total capacity. The crusts are characterized by the group sorption of REM cations from multicomponent aqueous solutions of metal salts. The selectivity of ore manganese and ferruginous minerals of crusts to REM cations is significantly higher than to the main cations of ocean water. From experimental data on the desorption of sorbed REM cations with NaCl solution, their irreversible absorption by ore minerals follows, and the strengthening of the chemical bond of sorbed REM cations with the main structural elements of these minerals over time. An important property of ore minerals, primarily manganese minerals, is their chemical and structural stability in aqueous solutions of electrolytes. This suggests the repeated use of ferromanganese crusts as sorbents of REM cations.

Morphology and Luminescence Properties of Transition Metal Doped Zinc Selenide Crystals.

Zinc selenide is an excellent matrix material to dope with rare-earth and transition metal to achieve mid-infrared luminescence to develop high power lasers. The luminescence, morphology and refractive index is significantly affected by the doping and defects generated due to size and valency of dopants, concentration, growth process and convection during the growth. The aim of the study is to investigate effect of point and line defects generated due to low doping of iron and chromium on the emission and morphology of the zinc selenide. Luminescence and morphological properties of large iron and chromium doped zinc selenide single crystals were studied to evaluate the effect of extremely low residual impurities and defects associated with the doping process. The emission properties following both short wavelength (i.e., ultraviolet; 350-370nm) excitation and longer wavelength (i.e., near infrared; 850-870nm) excitation were characterized. Luminescence emission bands were identified in both doped crystals. In addition to the primary emission bands, satellite peaks and intra-center transitions were also observed. Due to local population defects associated with the residual impurities (ppm to ppb) in the Fe-ZnSe and Cr-ZnSe crystals, peak emission wavelengths were observed to shift. The emission bands were found to decrease in intensity due to recombination of residual impurity co-dopants and complex defects generated during growth and fabrication. Cryogenic temperature analyses revealed a very clean emission band due to freezing of some of the point and line defects. An emission band observed at 980nm for both crystals at room temperature as well as cryogenic temperatures indicates a vibronic peak in ZnSe. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the local morphology support the conclusion that small crystallites in doped crystals are also present.

Chiral Rare-Earth (Ce, Eu) Metal Halides with Bright Circularly Polarized Luminescence.

Chiral metal halide materials are emerging chiroptical materials that are easy to synthesize and have a wide tunability. Rare-earth (RE) metals are desirable components to be incorporated in the hybrid regime; however, they are typically difficult to handle for solution-based halide chemistry. Here, we report two new examples of chiral RE metal halides with Ce(III) and Eu(III) with chiral alkanolammonium cations (R/S-3-hydroxyquinuclidium). These compounds crystallize in the non-centrosymmetric space group R3, where their mirror-like symmetric circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) further witness the chiral nature. The superior emission properties, including the high photoluminescence quantum yield of the Ce-based materials (84-90%) and Eu-based materials (27-29%), have led to distinct and sharp symmetrical CPL in the ultraviolet and visible regions, with dissymmetry factors (glum) of ∼2 × 10-3 and ∼4 × 10-3, respectively. This work has established and expanded the materials space for chiral RE metal halides and demonstrated their potential for chiroptical and spintronic applications.

Coordination Compounds of Alkali and Rare Earth Metals Based on Centrosymmetric Chlorine-Substituted Bis-Mercaptooxazole. Synthesis, Structure, and Luminescence

New coordination polymers were synthesized. A ditopic centrosymmetric organic ligand containing oxazole heterocycles, 4,8-dichlorobenzo[1,2d:4,5d´]bis(oxazole)-2,6(3H,7H)-dithione (H2L), was prepared and structurally characterized. It was shown that deprotonated H2L forms non-luminescent binuclear molecular complexes Li2L(THF)6 (I) and Na2L(DME)4 (II) with alkali metals, while complexes of H2L with lanthanides are ionic compounds [Ln(DMSO)8][L]1.5 (Ln = Nd (III), Yb (IV)) exhibiting moderate metalcentered emission in the near-infrared (IR) range, despite the absence of coordination of the ligand L to lanthanide ions. The molecular structures of H2L·2DMSO and I–III were established by X-ray diffraction (CCDC no. 2320461 (H2L·2DMSO), 2320462 (I), 2320463 (II), 2320464 (III)).

Stoichiometric Lanthanide Compounds with Diglycolamides: A Synthetic Approach toward Understanding Rare-Earth Speciation in Solution.

A fundamental understanding of coordination chemistry across the lanthanide series is essential for explaining the chemical behavior of rare-earth metals in complex liquid-liquid extraction processes. Probing the exact bonding between the extractant and the metal is sometimes done through the synthesis of solid-state compounds that can serve as models for metal speciation in solution. In the case of diglycolamide (DGA), a commonly used neutral diamide extractant, extensive studies identify the stepwise formation of 1:1 [Ln(DGA)(H2O)6]3+, 1:2 [Ln(DGA)2(H2O)3]3+, and 1:3 [Ln(DGA)3]3+ complexes in solution. The crystallographic reports, however, exclusively show a 1:3 [Ln(DGA)3]3+ moiety in the solid state, while the structures of 1:1 and 1:2 complexes are yet to be isolated and comprehensively studied. In this work, we report the synthesis and characterization of three new families of stoichiometric N,N,N',N'-tetramethyldiglycolamide (TMDGA) compounds: [Ln(TMDGA)(H2O)5Cl]Cl2·2H2O, [Ln(TMDGA)2(H2O)3]Cl3·3H2O, and [Ln(TMDGA)3]Cl3·7H2O, where Ln = Nd, Eu, Gd, with Ln:TMDGA ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3, respectively. The compounds have been analyzed using vibrational spectroscopy (both Raman and FT-IR), as well as variable temperature fluorescence spectroscopy. A spectrophotometric titration of Eu(III) was performed to confirm the presence of the [Eu(TMDGA)n]3+ (n = 1, 2, and 3) species in solution and to compare the individual solid-state emission spectra to their respective analogues in solution.

Deoxidation of Titanium Utilizing Thulium and Halide Flux

AbstractDevelopment of an efficient deoxidation method for titanium (Ti) is desired to recycle oxygen (O)-contaminated Ti scrap. In this study, the utilization of thulium (Tm) as a deoxidant for Ti in various halide fluxes was investigated. Tm is a rare-earth metal, which is a by-product of other rare-earth metals with high demand and has limited industrial uses. When NaCl or KCl flux was installed in the deoxidation experiments, the impurity oxygen in Ti was removed to the concentrations of 140–590 mass ppm O, which are lower than that achieved under the equilibrium between Tm and Tm2O3 (290–530 mass ppm O). The results show that the nominal activity of the deoxidation product (Tm2O3) was lowered by the presence of halide fluxes in the reaction systems. The combination of Tm and halide fluxes in a new deoxidation technique holds promising potential for both accelerating the Ti recycling and exploring novel applications for Tm. Graphical Abstract

Current recycling innovations to utilize e-waste in sustainable green metal manufacturing.

The ever-increasing market demand and the rapid uptake of the technologies of electronics create an unavoidable generation of high-volume electronic waste (e-waste). E-waste is embedded with valuable metals, alloys, precious metals and rare earth elements. A substantial portion of e-waste ends up in landfills and is incinerated due to its complex multi-material structure, creating loss of resources and often leading to environmental contamination from the release of landfill leachates and combustion gases. Conversely, due to the ongoing demand for valuable metals, global industrial and manufacturing supply chains are experiencing enormous pressure. To address this issue, researchers have put multifaceted efforts into developing viable technologies and emphasized right-scaling for e-waste reclamation. Several conventional and emerging recycling technologies have been recognized to be efficient in recovering metal alloys, precious and rare earth metals from e-waste. The recovery of valuable metals from e-waste will create an alternative source of value-added raw materials, which could become part of supply chains for manufacturing. This review discusses the urgency of metal recycling from e-waste for sustainability and economic benefit, up-to-date recycling technologies with an emphasis on their potential role in creating a circular economy in e-waste management.This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Sustainable metals: science and systems'.

Azobenzene as an Effective Ligand in Europium Chemistry-A Synthetic and Theoretical Study.

The preparation and characterization of two novel europium-azobenzene complexes that demonstrate the effectiveness of this ligand for stabilizing reactive, redox-active metals are reported. With the family of rare earth metals receiving attention due to their potential as catalysts, critical components in electronic devices, and, more recently, in biomedical applications, a detailed understanding of factors contributing to their coordination chemistry is of great importance for customizing their stability and reactivity. This study introduces azobenzene as an effective nonprotic ligand system that provides novel insights into rare earth metal coordination preferences, including factors contributing to the coordinative saturation of the large, divalent europium centers. The two compounds demonstrate the impact of the solvent donors (tetrahydrofuran (THF) and dimethoxyethane (DME)) on the overall coordination chemistry of the target compounds. Apart from the side-on coordination of the doubly-reduced azobenzene and the anticipated N-N bond elongation due to decreased bond order, the two compounds demonstrate the propensity of the europium centers towards limited metal-π interactions. The target compounds are available by direct metallation in a straightforward manner with good yields and purity. The compounds demonstrate the utility of the azobenzene ligands, which may function as singly- or doubly-reduced entities in conjunction with redox-active metals. An initial exploration into the computational modeling of these and similar complexes for subsequent property prediction and optimization is performed through a methodological survey of structure reproduction using density functional theory.

Effect of different heat treatment on thermal and electrical conductivity, and microhardness of Erbium-reinforced in-situ processed (ZrB2/Al2O3) 7085 AA nanocomposites for high temperature applications

High structurally stable 7085 aluminium alloy (7085 AA) is increasingly gaining more attention in industries such as automotive, electrical and high-temperature applications due to its demand for prolonged usage. The performance potential of conventional 7085 AA properties can be enhanced by reinforcing it with appropriate ceramic nanoparticles (AZ), namely, Aluminium oxide (Al2O3), Zirconium diboride (ZrB2), and rare earth metals, i.e. Erbium (Er), which makes it to be utilized for high-temperature industrial applications. Thus, the primary objective of the present study is to develop 7085 AA/AZ-Er composites having enhanced thermal, electrical and mechanical properties. The composites was synthesized through an In-situ process, followed by homogenization, solution treatment and artificial ageing (T6 and T74 heat treatment). The results obtained through T6 and T74 heat treatment were compared. The concentration of AZ was maintained at 1.0 wt.%, whereas Er was varied by 0.1. 0.3 and 0.5 wt.% in the 7085 AA/AZ composites. The superior properties of 7085 AA/AZ- Er composites achieved in this study are as follows: Thermal conductivity- 153.5 ± 0.7 W/m·K, Electrical conductivity- 21.99 ± 0.08 MS/m, and Hardness- 217.12 ± 3.2 Hv. The hardness and thermal conductivity of T6 heat-treated Er-based composites are found to be superior, while T74 heat-treated composites exhibited significant improvements in electrical conductivity. It is concluded that the appropriate addition of Er concentration plays a vital role in enhancing mechanical, electrical and thermal properties irrespective of the heat treatment process.

Clean energy challenges and innovation opportunities in Kazakhstan

Abstract Kazakhstan has pledged to transition to a low-carbon economy by implementing national policies and strategies that promote clean energy innovation. However, Kazakhstan is still falling short of its expected targets for energy transition, and there is a lack of knowledge regarding the country’s challenges and opportunities for clean energy development. Towards this end, the current study identifies and assesses the enablers and barriers related to clean energy innovation in Kazakhstan. Using the combination of SWOT analysis, survey data from 41 experts and the DEMATEL decision support tool, we evaluated the key factors affecting Kazakhstan’s clean energy innovation and their implications for energy transition. Assessment results show that the immature business environment, underpinned by technological, institutional, and socioeconomic factors, is perceived as a high-impact constraint for clean energy innovation and green finance deployment in Kazakhstan. Skilled labour shortages, high reliance on hydrocarbons and low retail energy prices are significant challenges to Kazakhstan’s clean energy innovation. The low-profit margin and high investment risk in clean energy projects are identified as transition barriers in the power and energy-intensive industries. In contrast, Kazakhstan’s endowments of resources critical for developing clean energy technologies (rare earth metals, uranium, gas) and the potential of low-carbon investments (e.g. carbon storage) are perceived as prominent enablers of clean energy innovation. Results are consistent across expert subgroups (academia, industry, NGOs, etc). Findings call for policy support to modern and attractive business environments, capacity, and human capital development. The findings can provide helpful insights for countries in Central Asia and beyond with similar socioeconomic structures that aim for a timely energy transition.

Co/Er2O3/C ternary nanocomposites derived from cobalt/erbium Prussian blue analogs for efficient microwave absorption

This study presents the synthesis of Er[Co(CN)6], a Prussian blue analog (ErCo-PBA) with varied morphology, fabricated by modulating the solvent ratio between C2H6O and H2O. This approach leverages the solubility characteristics of K3[Co(CN)6] and the consequential influence of C2H6O on the crystal growth. When the solvent ratios are 1:8, 8:1, and 1:1, the resulting ErCo-PBA precursors nanorods, irregular particles, and spindle-shaped particles, respectively. After annealing, these precursors in an Ar environment allowed the Co/Er2O3/C derivatives to retain the morphology of the precursor well. Electromagnetic parameters testing revealed that Co/Er2O3/C-1 exhibits superior electromagnetic wave-absorbing (EMWA) performance among the synthesized derivatives with an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.1 GHz at 1.85 mm and a minimum reflection loss of −56.7 dB at 2.9 mm. The incorporation of Er2O3 is an effective method for adjusting and optimizing the electromagnetic parameters of materials, thereby enhancing the EMWA performance of Co/Er2O3/C composite. This study highlights the potential of rare-earth oxide/Co/C composites, synthesized through direct annealing rare-earth metal–organic frameworks, as an absorber and are promising candidate to achieve high-efficiency electromagnetic wave absorption.

Characteristics of Mg-Zn-Ca-Pr Alloy Synthesized by Mechanical Alloying.

Magnesium-based materials are an interesting solution in terms of medical applications. Alloys that are hard to obtain via standard means may be manufactured via mechanical alloying (MA), which allows the production of materials with complex a chemical composition and non-equilibrium structures. This work aimed to investigate materials obtained by the MA process for 5, 8, 13, and 20 h in terms of their phase composition and changes during heating. The results of thermal XRD analysis were in the temperature range between 25 and 360 °C, which revealed MgZn2, PrZn11, Ca2Mg5Zn13, and Ca phases as well as α-Mg and α-Zn solid solution. The structural analysis features the powder morphology of the analyzed samples, showing cold-welding and fracturing processes leading to their homogenization, which is supported by the EDS results. The base Mg-Zn-Ca alloy was modified by different additions, but a thorough analysis of the influence of praseodymium on its thermal properties has not yet been performed. We chose to focus on Pr addition because it belongs to low-toxicity rare earth metals, which is an essential feature of biomaterials. Also, the Ca2Mg5Zn13 phase is not fully known, as there are no crystallographic data (hkl). Therefore, the investigation is important and scientifically justified.

Exploiting Deep-Ultraviolet Nonlinear OpticalMaterial Rb2ScB3O6F2 Originated from Congruously Oriented [B3O6] Groups.

The exploration and research for deep-ultraviolet (UV) nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals are of great significance for all-solid-state lasers. This work is based on the excellent structural [B3O6] units which manipulate the excellent performances of famous commercial NLO crystal β-BaB2O4 (β-BBO) to explore new alternatives of deep-UV NLO materials. A deep-UV rare-earth metal borate fluoride Rb2ScB3O6F2 (RSBF) is successfully designed by combining the heterovalent ions substitution strategy, and fluorination strategy. Expectedly, RSBF exhibits an extremely short cutoff edge below 175 nm (189 nm for β-BBO), and a moderate birefringence of 0.088 at 1064 nm. The shortest phase-matching (PM) wavelength of RSBF (λPM=182 nm) is shortened by 23 nm compared with β-BBO (λPM=205 nm) due to the improvements in the chromatic dispersion and cutoff edge, and an experimental frequency-doubling effect 1.4×KH2PO4 (KDP) further suggests that RSBF can output a deep-UV harmonic laser. This work provides new sights from the original influencing factors for the rational and purposeful design of deep-UV NLO materials.

Crystal structures of the R1.33Ni3Ga8 (R = Tb, Ho, Er, Tm, Lu) compounds

The existence of five new ternary compounds with Gd1.33Pt3Al8-type structure (Pearson symbol hR51, space group R-3m) was established by means of X-ray powder diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy: Tb1.33Ni3Ga8 (а = 4.2056(1), с = 37.8913(9) Å), Ho1.33Ni3Ga8 (а = 4.19666(9), с = 37.7882(9) Å), Er1.33Ni3Ga8 (a = 4.19290(8), c = 37.7446(8) Å), Tm1.33Ni3Ga8 (a = 4.18819(7), c = 37.6980(7) Å), and Lu1.33Ni3Ga8 (a = 4.1826(1), c = 37.647(1) Å). The structures of the ternary R1.33Ni3Ga8 compounds belong to a family of linear-intergrowth structures with the general formula R0.67TnM2n + m and are built from atom layers of the composition R0.67Ga (R0.67M), separated by single or double NiGa2 slabs (TM2). The layers containing the rare-earth metal atoms are characterized by a disordered distribution of rare-earth metal atoms and Ga-atom triangles.

Dynamic Rare-Earth Metal-Organic Frameworks Based on Molecular Rotor Linkers with Efficient Emissions and Ultrasensitive Optical Sensing Performance.

4,4',4″-Triphenylamine tricarboxylate (TPA-COOH) with a distinct molecular rotor structure was reacted with rare-earth (RE) metal ions to obtain seven dynamic RE-based luminescent MOFs (RE-LMOFs) (i.e., emission colors in the blue, yellow-green, red, and near-infrared regions and emission peak wavelengths between 400 and 1600 nm) via the effective transfer of absorbed energy from TPA-COOH to the RE metal ions through the antenna effect. Due to the large energy level difference between RE ions, it was rare in the early days to use the same ligand to construct energy-level matching RE-LMOF homologues with multiple RE metal centers. The uncoordinated oxygen atoms on the molecular rotor linkers in RE-LMOFs provide active sites that can specifically capture highly toxic metal ions and strong oxidative pollutants. The limit of detection (LOD) of RE-LMOF for Al(III) ions is far below the maximum concentration of Al(III) ions in drinking water stipulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and that for H2O2 is much lower than the H2O2 content in cancer cells, showing excellent application potential for diagnosing early cell cancelation.

Analyzing the lifecycle of solar panels including raw material sourcing, manufacturing, and end-of-life disposal

The lifecycle of photovoltaic systems, encompassing the procurement of raw materials, manufacturing processes, and eventual disposal at the end of their operational lifespan, presents considerable ecological challenges notwithstanding their contribution to the enhancement of renewable energy sources. This research offers an exhaustive examination of the ecological ramifications associated with each phase of the lifecycle of photovoltaic systems. The extraction of essential materials, including silicon, silver, and rare earth metals, necessitates energy-demanding processes and leads to resource depletion, while the manufacturing phase is associated with the emission of greenhouse gases and resource consumption, particularly in the fabrication of crystalline silicon panels. The disposal at the end of life is becoming increasingly significant, as retired panels accumulate, and existing recycling technologies provide minimal recovery of valuable materials. Despite the substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions attributable to solar panels throughout their operational lifespan, there is a pressing need for enhancements in material efficiency, manufacturing methodologies, and recycling frameworks to mitigate their lifecycle repercussions. The investigation underscores the imperative for sustainable methodologies, circular economy paradigms, and policy measures to guarantee the enduring environmental sustainability of solar energy.

Influence of transition metal (Cu) and rare earth metal (Dy) co-doping on spinel zinc ferrite (Cu0.1Dy0.08Zn0.9Fe1.92O4) for improved photocatalytic degradation of industrial effluents

In the present era, design and development of novel, highly stable, easily and magnetically separable, cost effective, and visible light driven catalytic material for the removal of harmful industrial effluents is of great importance. In this context, facile co-precipitation route was adopted for the synthesis of ZnFe2O4 (ZFO), Cu0.1Zn0.9Fe2O4 (CZFO), Dy0.08ZnFe1.92O4 (DZFO), and Cu0.1Dy0.08Zn0.9Fe1.92O4 (CDZFO) and their fabrication was confirmed by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and UV-Visible spectroscopy. The phase analysis of all designed materials exhibits that there is an increment in the crystallite size of co-doped zinc ferrite (CDZFO) i.e. 11.51 nm as compared to ZFO (10.74 nm), CZFO (10.92 nm), and DZFO (11.41 nm). The optical study shows a significant decrease in bandgap of CDZFO i.e. 1.82 eV as compared to DZFO (1.89 eV), CZFO (2.0 eV), and ZFO (2.14 eV). This decrease in optical bandgap and increase in crystallite size of the CDZFO is due to the quantum confinement effect. The photocatalytic efficiency of pure, doped, and co-doped samples was investigated against organic dye (Congo red), pharmaceutical drug (ibuprofen), and colorless organic compound (benzoic acid). The photocatalytic results reveal that CDZFO showed about ∼90 % degradation of Congo red while ZFO, CZFO, and DZFO showed only 59 %, 70 %, and 79 % respectively. Moreover, CDZFO also showed highest photocatalytic removal efficiency against ibuprofen (88 %) and benzoic acid (74 %) out of all other synthesized materials. The remarkable photodegradation ability of CDZFO for all targeted pollutants could be attributed to the generation of crystal defects in its lattice, its small bandgap, and higher absorption in visible region. Furthermore, the recyclability experiment confirmed the stability and reusability of the prepared sample.