| Abstract: | This study shows a facile approach for the preparation of CeO2 nanoparticles decorated with porous nitrogen‐doped graphene (NG) nanosheets for effective photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB). NG nanosheets were first synthesized using a hydrothermal method and then nitrogen‐doped graphene‐cerium oxide (NG‐CeO2) was prepared through mixing of cerium nitrate with different concentrations of NG under ultrasonication followed by hydrothermal treatment. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM). The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized nanocomposites was analyzed against MB dye. Results showed that the nanocomposites of NG‐CeO2 have an average particle size of 20 nm. The as‐prepared NG‐CeO2 nanocomposites exhibited outstanding photocatalytic activity for dye degradation under visible light irradiation, which could be attributed to synergistic effects between the NG nanosheets and CeO2. The quantum of photodegradation increases with the increase of the NG content in the nanocomposites. |
