Chemical, surface, and thermal studies of mixed oxides cupric oxide (CuO), lanthanum oxide (La2O3), and graphene oxide for dye degradation from aqueous solution

Abstract

Mixed oxy-compositions are lately used for water treatment that might be exploited as photo-catalyst, and adsorptive materials for the disposal of water pollutants. Cupric oxide (CuO), lanthanum oxide (La2O3), and graphene oxide (GO)-based nanocomposites show an interest in water treatment applications owing to the adsorptive feature of carbon-based nanoparticles (NPs), besides low band gap of metal oxides that boosts photo-catalytic process. CuO/La2O3/GO-based nanocomposites are prepared and tested for their thermal stability, and dye removal activity. The change in nanocomposites structure upon the incorporation of CuO and La2O3 into GO nanosheets is inspected via TEM micrographs showing a decline in lanthana rod length to be 200 nm on average. Additionally, the improved roughness structure and the compact grain size appear in SEM micrographs reports CuO grain size reduction reaching an average size of 250 nm. The roughness parameters of CuO/La2O3/GO are extraordinarily heightened in which the supreme value of roughness average is 7.6 nm. Ternary nanocomposite exhibits a maximum value (85%) as a methylene blue (MB) dye removal. Based on these obtained results, the fabricated nanocomposites are recommended for water treatment due to their enriched physicochemical and morphological features as well as the better thermal stability and exerted dye removal activity.

Keywords

• CuO
• La2O3
• Dye
• Water treatment