Enhanced photocatalytic activities of LaCoO3 perovskite nanostructures for degrading cationic and anionic dyes

Abstract Sustainable and cost-effective technologies are crucial for addressing environmental pollution issues. Perovskite photocatalysts have gained increased attention as a potential solution which could be accounted to their tuneable structural characteristics, flexible bandgap, and superior catalytic properties. In this study, we synthesized Lanthanum Cobaltite (LaCoO 3 ) perovskite nanostructures via co-precipitation for photocatalytic purposes. Morphological analysis revealed LaCoO 3 nanoparticles with an average size of ∼33 nm whose crystalline characteristics were investigated as a function of annealing temperatures. We found that the pure and crystalline LaCoO 3 phase formed after the post-annealing process at 600°C. Photocatalytic studies showed that the degradation potential of LaCoO 3 was significantly improved when hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) was added as co-catalyst system. We achieved degradation efficiencies of up to 91% and 85% for MB and methyl orange (MO), respectively. LaCoO 3 /H 2 O 2 exhibited excellent photocatalytic potential for degrading both anionic and cationic organic dyes for environmental remediation applications.