Magnetic Fe3O4@V2O5/rGO nanocomposite as a recyclable photocatalyst for dye molecules degradation under direct sunlight irradiation

Abstract

Reduced graphene oxide nanosheets decorated with Fe₃O₄ and V₂O₅ nanoparticles as a magnetically recoverable nanocomposite (Fe₃O₄@V₂O₅/rGO) was synthesized by a simple solution chemistry approach. The synthesized nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), fluorescence, and zeta potential measurements. The narrow band gap and different band gap energies of Fe₃O₄ and V₂O₅ proved to be suitable for the absorption of visible light in the solar spectrum. The Fe₃O₄@V₂O₅/rGO displayed indeed excellent photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of harmful cationic Bismarck Brown (BB) as well as anionic Acid Orange 7 (AO) dyes under direct sunlight irradiation. The photocatalytic activity of the Fe₃O₄@V₂O₅/rGO is influenced by solution pH, catalyst loading, initial dye concentration and the presence of different inorganic ions (NH₄⁺, Na⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca^2+, SO₄^2-, Br^-, NO₃^-, Cl^-, HCO₃^-). This study provides a new scientific knowledge on the sunlight driven photocatalytic degradation of dye molecules using novel mixed metal oxide/rGO nanocomposite photocatalyst.

Keywords: Dye molecules; Fe(3)O(4)@V(2)O(5)/rGO; Nanocomposite; Photocatalytic degradation; Sunlight.