Binary metal doped and graphene anchored LaCrO₃ perovskite with boost light harvesting properties for environmental remediation

This study developed visible light-driven ABO(3) type (perovskite) lanthanum chromite (LaCrO3) and Co-Ni co-doped (La1-xCoxCr1-yNiyO3; LCCNO) photocatalyst using a straightforward micro-emulsion process. Later, LCCNO nanoparticles were deposited on reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) utilizing an ultrasonication approach to form nanocomposite (LCCNO/r-GO). The investigation included structural, morphological, and elemental analyses, which were conducted using techniques such as x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis. The present study investigated the impact of Co-Ni co-doping and rGO reinforcement on the bandgap and electrical conductivity in the context of optical analysis and current-voltage (I-V) experimentation. The nanomaterial's photocatalytic activity (PCA) was evaluated using crystal violet (CV), a well-recognized commercial dye. The composite as a photocatalyst exhibits superior CV dye photodegradation efficiency (99.02%; 100 min) compared to pure LCO (36.44%; 100 min) and co-doped LCCNO (73.74%; 100 min) counterparts due to its low band gap (2.14 eV), high conductivity (6.4 x 10(5) Sm-1), and large surface area (123.7 m(2)/g). Furthermore, a series of studies were conducted to examine the primary active free radicals generated by the composite material and to evaluate its long-term viability as a photocatalyst. The present research investigates the beneficial effects of co-doping and the incorporation of carbonaceous materials on the photocatalytic performance of ABO(3)-type perovskite.