Heteroanionic synthesis of lanthanum/neodymium-based titanium oxycarbide: a novel approach with multiple objectives for clean energy and pollutant-free environment

Yathavan Subramanian; Thang Le Minh; Hasliza Bahruji; Wahid Sidik Sarifuddin; Abdul Hanif Mahadi; Ramesh Kumar Gubendiran; Muhammed Ali S. A.; Veena Raj; Hayati Yassin; John T. S. Irvine; Abul K. Azad

doi:10.1093/ce/zkae081

Heteroanionic synthesis of lanthanum/neodymium-based titanium oxycarbide: a novel approach with multiple objectives for clean energy and pollutant-free environment

Yathavan Subramanian^*, Thang Le Minh, Hasliza Bahruji, Wahid Sidik Sarifuddin, Abdul Hanif Mahadi, Ramesh Kumar Gubendiran, Muhammed Ali S. A., Veena Raj, Hayati Yassin, John T. S. Irvine, Abul K. Azad^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In this study, a new type of oxycarbide-based compounds, namely lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide, were synthesized through solid-state reaction to replace titanium oxycarbide due to its rapid charge carrier recombination and limited responsiveness to visible light (VL) in photocatalysis. The structural, morphological, optical absorption, and vibrational properties of the synthesized catalysts were thoroughly characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to assess their suitability for catalytic applications. Subsequently, the photocatalytic behavior of the synthesized materials was evaluated for their ability to degrade the hazardous Congo red (CR) dye in various types of water, including deionized water, domestic utility water used for household purposes, and seawater, under VL illumination. Notably, lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide exhibited superior degradation efficiencies for CR dye, achieving maximum degradation rates of 87% and 89%, respectively, in domestic water used for routine household purposes within a duration of 90 minutes, when compared to TiOC. However, the degradation efficiency was slightly lower in deionized water and seawater. Additionally, lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide demonstrated promising hydrogen evolution activity, generating 19.7 and 21.1 µmol/g, respectively, under VL in 180 minutes. The enhanced efficiency in CR removal and hydrogen generation activity of lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide has been attributed to the synergistic effects of improved VL absorption, higher exciton separation and a supportive pH environment due to the presence of lanthanum, neodymium, and carbon ions in a combined entity.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	89-107
Number of pages	19
Journal	Clean Energy
Volume	9
Issue number	1
Early online date	22 Jan 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/ce/zkae081
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Hydrogen generation
Dye removal
Titanium oxycarbide
Photcatalysis
Congo red

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Subramanian_2025_CE_Heteroanionic-synthesis-titanium-oxycarbide_CC
© The Author(s) 2025. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Cite this

Subramanian, Y., Le Minh, T., Bahruji, H., Sarifuddin, W. S., Mahadi, A. H., Gubendiran, R. K., Ali S. A., M., Raj, V., Yassin, H., Irvine, J. T. S., & Azad, A. K. (2025). Heteroanionic synthesis of lanthanum/neodymium-based titanium oxycarbide: a novel approach with multiple objectives for clean energy and pollutant-free environment. Clean Energy, 9(1), 89-107. https://doi.org/10.1093/ce/zkae081

@article{074bfb4f86d44dbdb75c9cc403704830,

title = "Heteroanionic synthesis of lanthanum/neodymium-based titanium oxycarbide: a novel approach with multiple objectives for clean energy and pollutant-free environment",

abstract = "In this study, a new type of oxycarbide-based compounds, namely lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide, were synthesized through solid-state reaction to replace titanium oxycarbide due to its rapid charge carrier recombination and limited responsiveness to visible light (VL) in photocatalysis. The structural, morphological, optical absorption, and vibrational properties of the synthesized catalysts were thoroughly characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to assess their suitability for catalytic applications. Subsequently, the photocatalytic behavior of the synthesized materials was evaluated for their ability to degrade the hazardous Congo red (CR) dye in various types of water, including deionized water, domestic utility water used for household purposes, and seawater, under VL illumination. Notably, lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide exhibited superior degradation efficiencies for CR dye, achieving maximum degradation rates of 87\% and 89\%, respectively, in domestic water used for routine household purposes within a duration of 90 minutes, when compared to TiOC. However, the degradation efficiency was slightly lower in deionized water and seawater. Additionally, lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide demonstrated promising hydrogen evolution activity, generating 19.7 and 21.1 µmol/g, respectively, under VL in 180 minutes. The enhanced efficiency in CR removal and hydrogen generation activity of lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide has been attributed to the synergistic effects of improved VL absorption, higher exciton separation and a supportive pH environment due to the presence of lanthanum, neodymium, and carbon ions in a combined entity.",

keywords = "Hydrogen generation, Dye removal, Titanium oxycarbide, Photcatalysis, Congo red",

author = "Yathavan Subramanian and \{Le Minh\}, Thang and Hasliza Bahruji and Sarifuddin, \{Wahid Sidik\} and Mahadi, \{Abdul Hanif\} and Gubendiran, \{Ramesh Kumar\} and \{Ali S. A.\}, Muhammed and Veena Raj and Hayati Yassin and Irvine, \{John T. S.\} and Azad, \{Abul K.\}",

note = "Funding: The author Y.S. is also thankful to the RoHan Catalysis Lab, HUST, Vietnam funded by German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD, no. 57315854) for providing the Asian student research stay scholarship to carry out his research work. The author M.A.S.A. would like to acknowledge the funding from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, through a Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) with code FRGS/1/2023/TK08/UKM/02/5.",

year = "2025",

month = feb,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1093/ce/zkae081",

language = "English",

volume = "9",

pages = "89--107",

journal = "Clean Energy",

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publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "1",

}

Subramanian, Y, Le Minh, T, Bahruji, H, Sarifuddin, WS, Mahadi, AH, Gubendiran, RK, Ali S. A., M, Raj, V, Yassin, H, Irvine, JTS & Azad, AK 2025, 'Heteroanionic synthesis of lanthanum/neodymium-based titanium oxycarbide: a novel approach with multiple objectives for clean energy and pollutant-free environment', Clean Energy, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 89-107. https://doi.org/10.1093/ce/zkae081

TY - JOUR

T1 - Heteroanionic synthesis of lanthanum/neodymium-based titanium oxycarbide

T2 - a novel approach with multiple objectives for clean energy and pollutant-free environment

AU - Subramanian, Yathavan

AU - Le Minh, Thang

AU - Bahruji, Hasliza

AU - Sarifuddin, Wahid Sidik

AU - Mahadi, Abdul Hanif

AU - Gubendiran, Ramesh Kumar

AU - Ali S. A., Muhammed

AU - Raj, Veena

AU - Yassin, Hayati

AU - Irvine, John T. S.

AU - Azad, Abul K.

N1 - Funding: The author Y.S. is also thankful to the RoHan Catalysis Lab, HUST, Vietnam funded by German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD, no. 57315854) for providing the Asian student research stay scholarship to carry out his research work. The author M.A.S.A. would like to acknowledge the funding from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, through a Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) with code FRGS/1/2023/TK08/UKM/02/5.

PY - 2025/2/1

Y1 - 2025/2/1

N2 - In this study, a new type of oxycarbide-based compounds, namely lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide, were synthesized through solid-state reaction to replace titanium oxycarbide due to its rapid charge carrier recombination and limited responsiveness to visible light (VL) in photocatalysis. The structural, morphological, optical absorption, and vibrational properties of the synthesized catalysts were thoroughly characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to assess their suitability for catalytic applications. Subsequently, the photocatalytic behavior of the synthesized materials was evaluated for their ability to degrade the hazardous Congo red (CR) dye in various types of water, including deionized water, domestic utility water used for household purposes, and seawater, under VL illumination. Notably, lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide exhibited superior degradation efficiencies for CR dye, achieving maximum degradation rates of 87% and 89%, respectively, in domestic water used for routine household purposes within a duration of 90 minutes, when compared to TiOC. However, the degradation efficiency was slightly lower in deionized water and seawater. Additionally, lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide demonstrated promising hydrogen evolution activity, generating 19.7 and 21.1 µmol/g, respectively, under VL in 180 minutes. The enhanced efficiency in CR removal and hydrogen generation activity of lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide has been attributed to the synergistic effects of improved VL absorption, higher exciton separation and a supportive pH environment due to the presence of lanthanum, neodymium, and carbon ions in a combined entity.

AB - In this study, a new type of oxycarbide-based compounds, namely lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide, were synthesized through solid-state reaction to replace titanium oxycarbide due to its rapid charge carrier recombination and limited responsiveness to visible light (VL) in photocatalysis. The structural, morphological, optical absorption, and vibrational properties of the synthesized catalysts were thoroughly characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to assess their suitability for catalytic applications. Subsequently, the photocatalytic behavior of the synthesized materials was evaluated for their ability to degrade the hazardous Congo red (CR) dye in various types of water, including deionized water, domestic utility water used for household purposes, and seawater, under VL illumination. Notably, lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide exhibited superior degradation efficiencies for CR dye, achieving maximum degradation rates of 87% and 89%, respectively, in domestic water used for routine household purposes within a duration of 90 minutes, when compared to TiOC. However, the degradation efficiency was slightly lower in deionized water and seawater. Additionally, lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide demonstrated promising hydrogen evolution activity, generating 19.7 and 21.1 µmol/g, respectively, under VL in 180 minutes. The enhanced efficiency in CR removal and hydrogen generation activity of lanthanum titanium oxycarbide and neodymium titanium oxycarbide has been attributed to the synergistic effects of improved VL absorption, higher exciton separation and a supportive pH environment due to the presence of lanthanum, neodymium, and carbon ions in a combined entity.

KW - Hydrogen generation

KW - Dye removal

KW - Titanium oxycarbide

KW - Photcatalysis

KW - Congo red

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85215998598

U2 - 10.1093/ce/zkae081

DO - 10.1093/ce/zkae081

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85215998598

SN - 2515-4230

VL - 9

SP - 89

EP - 107

JO - Clean Energy

JF - Clean Energy

IS - 1

ER -

Heteroanionic synthesis of lanthanum/neodymium-based titanium oxycarbide: a novel approach with multiple objectives for clean energy and pollutant-free environment

Abstract

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Keywords

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