Exploring charge dynamics in CuO/Fe₂O₃-doped NiCo₂O₄/rGO nanocomposites for visible-light-driven photocatalysis

IF 5.1 2区材料科学 Q1 MATERIALS SCIENCE, CERAMICS

Ceramics International Pub Date : 2025-03-01 DOI:10.1016/j.ceramint.2024.12.228

Memoona Rao , Ismat Bibi , Farzana Majid , Shagufta Kamal , Abida Kausar , Habib Elhouichet , Qasim Raza , Gul Fatima , Norah Alwadai , Munawar Iqbal

{"title":"Exploring charge dynamics in CuO/Fe₂O₃-doped NiCo₂O₄/rGO nanocomposites for visible-light-driven photocatalysis","authors":"Memoona Rao , Ismat Bibi , Farzana Majid , Shagufta Kamal , Abida Kausar , Habib Elhouichet , Qasim Raza , Gul Fatima , Norah Alwadai , Munawar Iqbal","doi":"10.1016/j.ceramint.2024.12.228","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study reports the synthesis of nickel cobaltite-based nanocomposites (NCPs) using cost-effective co-precipitation followed by ultrasonication. Nickel cobaltite (NCO@rGO-1) and CuO/Fe₂O₃-doped composites (NCCFO@rGO-2 to NCCFO@rGO-4) were synthesized with different dopant concentrations. The NCPs were characterized using XRD, PL, FTIR, UV–Vis, and Raman spectroscopy techniques. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of spinel cubic structures, showing a reduction in crystallinity with increased doping levels. Raman spectra displayed redshifts and intensity reduction with increased dopant levels, indicating the successful incorporation of CuO and Fe₂O₃. PL emission peaked at 632 nm, with intensity decreasing upon doping. UV–Vis spectra indicated a bandgap of 1.59 eV for the highly doped NCPs. Photocatalytic performance under visible light showed 95% degradation of cresol red (CR) dye in 80 min, aniline degradation of 89% in 120 min and 71% degradation of benzimidazole in 120 min with a rate constant of 0.03894 min⁻<sup>1</sup>, 0.01998 min⁻<sup>1</sup>, and 0.01175 min⁻<sup>1</sup>, respectively. Enhanced photocatalytic efficiency was attributed to improved charge separation and active sites provided by rGO, alongside a double Z-scheme mechanism facilitating electron transport. The NCPs exhibited stable performance over five recycling cycles, underscoring their potential for long-term pollutant removal. These findings suggest that the synthesized NCPs are promising candidates for sustainable wastewater treatment, contributing to environmental protection efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":267,"journal":{"name":"Ceramics International","volume":"51 7","pages":"Pages 8231-8248"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Ceramics International","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027288422405884X","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, CERAMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study reports the synthesis of nickel cobaltite-based nanocomposites (NCPs) using cost-effective co-precipitation followed by ultrasonication. Nickel cobaltite (NCO@rGO-1) and CuO/Fe₂O₃-doped composites (NCCFO@rGO-2 to NCCFO@rGO-4) were synthesized with different dopant concentrations. The NCPs were characterized using XRD, PL, FTIR, UV–Vis, and Raman spectroscopy techniques. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of spinel cubic structures, showing a reduction in crystallinity with increased doping levels. Raman spectra displayed redshifts and intensity reduction with increased dopant levels, indicating the successful incorporation of CuO and Fe₂O₃. PL emission peaked at 632 nm, with intensity decreasing upon doping. UV–Vis spectra indicated a bandgap of 1.59 eV for the highly doped NCPs. Photocatalytic performance under visible light showed 95% degradation of cresol red (CR) dye in 80 min, aniline degradation of 89% in 120 min and 71% degradation of benzimidazole in 120 min with a rate constant of 0.03894 min⁻¹, 0.01998 min⁻¹, and 0.01175 min⁻¹, respectively. Enhanced photocatalytic efficiency was attributed to improved charge separation and active sites provided by rGO, alongside a double Z-scheme mechanism facilitating electron transport. The NCPs exhibited stable performance over five recycling cycles, underscoring their potential for long-term pollutant removal. These findings suggest that the synthesized NCPs are promising candidates for sustainable wastewater treatment, contributing to environmental protection efforts.

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Ceramics International 工程技术-材料科学：硅酸盐

CiteScore

9.40

自引率

15.40%

发文量

4558

审稿时长

25 days

期刊介绍： Ceramics International covers the science of advanced ceramic materials. The journal encourages contributions that demonstrate how an understanding of the basic chemical and physical phenomena may direct materials design and stimulate ideas for new or improved processing techniques, in order to obtain materials with desired structural features and properties. Ceramics International covers oxide and non-oxide ceramics, functional glasses, glass ceramics, amorphous inorganic non-metallic materials (and their combinations with metal and organic materials), in the form of particulates, dense or porous bodies, thin/thick films and laminated, graded and composite structures. Process related topics such as ceramic-ceramic joints or joining ceramics with dissimilar materials, as well as surface finishing and conditioning are also covered. Besides traditional processing techniques, manufacturing routes of interest include innovative procedures benefiting from externally applied stresses, electromagnetic fields and energetic beams, as well as top-down and self-assembly nanotechnology approaches. In addition, the journal welcomes submissions on bio-inspired and bio-enabled materials designs, experimentally validated multi scale modelling and simulation for materials design, and the use of the most advanced chemical and physical characterization techniques of structure, properties and behaviour. Technologically relevant low-dimensional systems are a particular focus of Ceramics International. These include 0, 1 and 2-D nanomaterials (also covering CNTs, graphene and related materials, and diamond-like carbons), their nanocomposites, as well as nano-hybrids and hierarchical multifunctional nanostructures that might integrate molecular, biological and electronic components.