Abstract
The influence of sol-gel, solid state, and hydrothermal synthesis methods on the properties and photocatalytic application of lanthanum ferrite (LaFeO3, LFO) perovskite material is reported. The LFO from each synthesis route was characterized with XRD, XPS, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, FESEM, HRTEM, and Brunauer-Emmeth-Teller (BET) analysis. The hydrothermal LFO possessed the most improved light-harvesting capability and charge recombination suppression as shown by UV–vis–DRS and photoluminescence studies. The hydrothermal LFO generated the highest photocurrent density suggesting the highest current mobility. Lower charge transfer resistance and improved photodegradation reaction kinetic were observed at the hydrothermal LFO photoanode. The extent of tetracycline mineralization, measured by total organic carbon (TOC) analysis for sol-gel, solid state, and hydrothermal routes were 62.5, 55.0, and 77.5 % respectively. LCMS provided information on the degradation and fragmentation patterns of the photocatalytic degradation process. This study shows that the synthesis route can affect the overall performance of LaFeO3 perovskite oxide.
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•LaFeO3 (LFO) was synthesised by sol-gel, solid state, and hydrothermal methods.•LFO properties varied with synthesis methods from BET, EIS, PL studies.•Hydrothermal LFO showed the highest photocurrent response and lowest Rct.•LFO was used in the photocatalytic (PC) degradation of tetracycline in wastewater.•PC % degradation trend: hydrothermal > sol gel > solid state derived LFO.