Abstract
In this article, the application of Mg-substituted cadmium ferrite (Cd1-xMgxFe2O4, x = 0.4) nanocomposite with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as an effective photocatalyst in photo-degradation of methylene blue (MB) has been explored. The nanocomposite was prepared via facile wet chemical co-precipitation and ultra-sonication methods. Moreover, photocatalytic efficiency of Cd1-xMgxFe2O4/rGO nanocomposite material was studied comparatively with CdFe2O4, Cd1-xMgxFe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) and CdFe2O4@rGO nanocomposite. Hence, compared to the CdFe2O4, Cd1-xMgxFe2O4 and CdFe2O4@rGO nanostructures, Cd1-xMgxFe2O4/rGO nanocomposite exhibited an excellent photocatalytic efficiency. After the visible irradiation of 80 min, 75.67% of MB was degraded by Cd1-xMgxFe2O4/rGO nanocomposite whereas only 9.92%, 24.7% and 20.10% of MB was removed by CdFe2O4, Cd1-xMgxFe2O4 and CdFe2O4@rGO nanostructures. A possible degradation strategy based on trapping radical experiments was also proposed. Facile preparation method, superior photocatalytic activity towards organic pollutants and better reusability suggest that Cd1-xMgxFe2O4/rGO nanocomposite has a good potential in dye-contained wastewater treatment.