Green-synthesized lanthanum-doped CuO nanoparticles from Embelia ribes seed extract for dual electrochemical and photocatalytic applications.

Abstract

Embelia ribes seed extract was used, for the first time, as a green chelating and reducing agent to synthesize lanthanum-doped copper oxide (La-CuO) nanoparticles. UV-vis screening of the La doping level (0-7%) identified 1% La as optimal, and Tauc plot analysis showed the band gap widened from 3.49 eV (CuO) to 3.72 eV (La-CuO). FTIR, SEM, XRD, and dynamic light scattering confirmed phytochemical surface capping, octahedral crystal morphology, a monoclinic CuO/cubic La2O3 structure (crystallite size 46 nm), and moderate colloidal stability (zeta potential -21.6 mV). La-CuO nanoparticles were evaluated for two applications: as an electrocatalyst, La-CuO-modified glassy carbon electrodes showed sensitive dopamine electro-oxidation by cyclic voltammetry and amperometry (R 2 = 0.98 and 0.97, respectively), with roughly five-fold higher sensitivity than an unmodified electrode; as a photocatalyst, La-CuO degraded ∼49% of methylene blue within 24 h, establishing E. ribes as a sustainable bioresource for producing multifunctional, dual-application La-CuO nanomaterials.

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