A General Synthetic Route to High-Quality Perovskite Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Enhanced Solar Photocatalytic Activity

The main limitations of current methods for synthesizing perovskite oxide (ABO(3)) nanoparticles (NPs), e.g., the high reagent costs and sophisticated equipment, the long time and high-temperature processing, or multiple post-processing and thermal treatment steps, hamper their full study and potential application. Here, we use a facile low temperature (50 degrees C) chemical bath synthesis and only one annealing step to successfully produce high phase purity and crystalline quality nano-shaped rare-earth-based REMO3 NPs (RE=La, Nd, Sm, Gd; M=Fe, Mn, Al). We also show the versatility of this approach by fabricating La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 solid solution and non-RE-based BiFeO3 perovskite. To assess the potential of the as-prepared REFeO3 and REMnO3 NPs, they are used for photocatalytic degradation of the norfloxacin antibiotic and show high efficiency. We believe this easy, robust, versatile, and general route for synthesizing ABO(3)-based NPs can be further explored in the vast perovskite family and beyond.

Automated summary

The current methods for synthesizing perovskite oxide (ABO(3)) nanoparticles (NPs) have limitations such as high reagent costs and sophisticated equipment, long time and high-temperature processing, or multiple post-processing and thermal treatment steps. In this study, a facile low temperature chemical bath synthesis and one annealing step are used to produce high quality rare-earth-based REMO3 NPs. The versatility of this approach is demonstrated by synthesizing La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 solid solution and non-RE-based BiFeO3 perovskite. The as-prepared REFeO3 and REMnO3 NPs show high efficiency in the photocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin antibiotic, indicating their potential for practical applications.