Synthesis of nitrogen doped ceria-reduced graphene oxide composite with enhanced photocatalytic performance towards typical organic pollutions removal

The composite of nitrogen doped ceria and reduced graphene oxide (N-CeO₂/N-RGO) was prepared in this work by a simple one-step wet precipitation process. The N-CeO₂/N-RGO exhibits excellent photocatalysis, with higher degradation efficiency for different pollutants compared to N-CeO₂. By synthesizing with N-RGO, more oxygen vacancies are created in the ceria lattice, enhancing the photocatalytic activity of N-CeO₂/N-RGO. Additionally, N-CeO₂/N-RGO has a narrower band gap than N-CeO₂, leading to improved light absorption capability. The increased efficiency in the separation of photogenerated carriers contributes to enhanced photocatalytic performance. This study provides a novel strategy for the development of efficient cerium-based photocatalysts.