Gum kondagogu mediated synthesis of CuO infused CeVO4 nanocomposite for enhanced photocatalytic dye degradation.

The increasing discharge of dye effluents into aquatic environments poses serious environmental and public health challenges. This study employed gum kondagogu (GK)-mediated to synthesize CuO-infused CeVO4 nanocomposite for the photocatalytic degradation of safranin O (SFN-O). The prepared photocatalyst was systematically characterized using various analytical techniques to investigate its structural, morphological, and surface properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the crystalline nature and oxidation states of the material, respectively. In contrast, photoluminescence (PL) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses revealed suppressed recombination of photogenerated charge carriers and low charge transfer resistance. The GK-CuO-CeVO4 nanocomposite exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance, achieving 88% degradation of SFN-O, with an apparent rate constant of 0.0201 min-1. The effects of key operational parameters, including catalyst dosage, pH, radical scavengers, inorganic ions, and real wastewater conditions, were systematically evaluated. Stability and reusability studies demonstrated that the catalyst retained 77.5% after four cycles. Overall, this work presents a polymer-mediated strategy for synthesizing an oxygen-engineered heterostructure with enhanced photocatalytic activity. The material offers a promising, eco-friendly solution for dye removal from industrial wastewater and water purification.