Efficient and recyclable Nd 3+ -doped CoFe 2 O 4 for boosted visible light-driven photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B dye.

Rare earth metal doping spinel ferrites offer excellent electronic, magnetic, and photocatalytic properties, but they have not been well explored for environmental mitigation. Herein, we report the facile fabrication of novel CoNd x Fe 2- x O 4 ( x = 0-0.05) photocatalysts based on Nd 3+ incorporated into CoFe 2 O 4 for the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation. The Nd 3+ dopant considerably increased the specific surface area (35 m 2 g -1 ) and enhanced the degradation performance (94.7%) of CoNd x Fe 2- x O 4 catalysts. Nd 3+ -doped CoFe 2 O 4 played a role in the formation of radicals, including ˙OH, h + , and ˙O 2 - . With high recyclability and performance, CoNd 0.05 Fe 1.95 O 4 nanoparticles can be efficient and reusable photocatalysts for degrading organic dyes, including Rhodamine B from wastewaters.