Lavanya, S.S.LavanyaRamamurthy, M.M.RamamurthyManikandan, V. S.V. S.ManikandanThirumurugan, ArunArunThirumurugan2026-07-072026-07-072026-02CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL, 52(4), 4172-4184 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.11.0010272-88421873-3956https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12740/24727Surfactant-assisted synthesis is an effective strategy for enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency of nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles (NPs). This study reports the controlled synthesis of NiO NPs using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) as surfactants. Structural, morphological, and optical properties were analyzed using XRD, Raman, UV-Visible, XPS, and SEM techniques. XRD confirmed highly crystalline cubic-phase NiO, while Raman and XPS revealed phonon confinement effects, mixed oxidation states (Ni2+/Ni3+), and oxygen vacancies, enhancing charge carrier kinetics. UV-Visible absorption spectra showed a red shift with bandgap narrowing, with NiO-SDS exhibiting the lowest bandgap (2.6 eV). Morphological studies indicated a transition from agglomerated structures in pure NiO to well-dispersed nanostructures with increased surface area. Photocatalytic studies demonstrated that NiO-SDS achieved 92 % Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation under visible light in 180 min, following pseudo-first-order kinetics (0.01897 min- 1). Radical trapping confirmed hydroxyl radicals (center dot OH- ) as the key reactive species. This study highlights the significance of surfactant-assisted synthesis in tailoring the physicochemical properties of NiO NPs and provides valuable insights into their potential for enhanced photocatalytic and environmental remediation applications.SurfactantsNiO-SDS nanosheetsChemical synthesisRhB dye degradationVisible lightArticulohttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.11.001