Abstract
Rapid industrialization demands for effective nano-photocatalyst that works under visible-light irradiation. The effective p-n interfacial engineering in nanoparticles (NPs) offers better photocatalytic performance. High performing nano-heterojunction of intimately coupled n-copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) NPs on p-nickel oxide (NiO) NPs was prepared that mitigates the charge recombination. X-ray diffraction confirmed the coexistence of the rhombohedral NiO and tetragonal CuFe2O4 in the prepared NCs. The bandgap energy of NiO/CuFe2O4 NCs-30 is 2.18 eV which supports visible light photocatalysis. The rate constant for degrading the methylene blue (MB) dye by NiO/CuFe2O4 NCs-30 was about 0.010 min(-1) which is 1.42 times and 2 times higher when compared to NiO and CuFe2O4 NPs. The reusability efficiency was 94.54%. It has been found that both OH. and .O-2(-) radical formed and contributed in degrading MB dye. The importance of the prepared NCs can be understood from its effective performance and it can be concluded that it has high photocatalytic potential to degrade the aquatic pollutants.