Lanthanide-Based Dual Modulation in Hematite Nanospindles for Enhancing the Photocatalytic Performance

Combining various approaches to elevate the photocatalytic performance of hematite (Fe2O3) is a promising strategy yet still challenging. Herein, we successfully manipulate Fe2O3 nanospindles with the prominent degradation of tetracycline (TC) under simulated solar-light irradiation via lanthanum (La) doping and the formation of an interface with cerium oxide (CeO2) (denoted as La-Fe2O3/CeO2). The optimized La-Fe2O3/CeO2 hybrid exhibits a photocatalytic performance of TC degradation superior to those of pure Fe2O3, LaFe2O3, and Fe2O3/CeO2, with 3 times the kinetic constant increment. Detailed experiments and theoretical calculations confirm that such excellent activity can be attributed to the dual-modulation strategy, which leads to an enhancement in the conductivity and ability to separate the photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Furthermore, the active species capture and electron spin resonance analyses reveal that O-center dot(2)-, (OH)-O-center dot, and h(+) active species play a vital role in the photocatalytic degradation process. This work could create more opportunity for the construction of high-activity photocatalysts for photocatalytic degradation and beyond.

Automated summary

The study successfully enhanced the photocatalytic degradation activity of hematite by lanthanum doping and forming an interface with cerium oxide, leading to improved conductivity and separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs through a dual-modulation strategy. Active species such as O-center dot(2)-, (OH)-O-center dot, and h(+) play a vital role in the photocatalytic degradation process.