Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Activity of DyFeO

Single-phase DyFeO3 nanoparticles with orthorhombic perovskite structure (space group Pbnm) were synthesized and characterized successfully using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld refinement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Phase purity was confirmed by XRD analysis with lattice parameters a = 5.5631 Å, b = 7.8516 Å, and c = 5.5530 Å, and the average crystallite size of 136 nm. SEM showed non-isometric nanoparticles of approximately 123 nm size with some agglomeration, and EDX assured stoichiometric elemental composition and homogeneity. Optical investigations showed direct band gap of approximately 2.01 eV corresponding to Å 2p → Fe 3d charge-transfer transitions. DyFeO3 nanoparticles showed good photo catalytic activity under visible light, effectively degrading several organic dyes (AF, MB, RhB, MO) according to first-order kinetics, with the degradation rates dependent upon dye structure and adsorption affinity. These results illustrate that DyFeO3 nanoparticles are structurally stable, optically active, and efficient visible-light-driven photo catalysts, pointing toward their future use in environmental remediation techniques.