Rare-Earth-Based MIS Type Core-Shell Nanospheres with Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Activity through an Electron Hopping-Trapping Mechanism.

A bilayered rare-earth-based metal-insulator-semiconductor, DyO@SiO@ZnO core-shell nanospheres, was synthesized by a stepwise synthesis for enhanced visible photocatalytic activity. The prepared material was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, and electron paramagnetic resonance techniques. DyO@SiO@ZnO core-shell nanospheres were found be in a spherically arranged cauliflower-like morphology (40-60 nm).

Nanocrystalline semiconductor doped rare earth oxide for the photocatalytic degradation studies on Acid Blue 113: A di-azo compound under UV slurry photoreactor.

Preventive measures for the control of environmental pollution and its remediation has received much interest in recent years due to the world-wide increase in the contamination of water bodies. Contributions of these harmful effluents are caused by the leather processing, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, textile, agricultural and other chemical industries. Nowadays, advanced oxidation processes considered to be better option for the complete destruction of organic contaminants in water and wastewater.