Correction: Synthesis and testing of photocatalytic potential of MgFe 2 O 4 /ZnO/perlite magnetic heterojunction for degradation of synthetic dyes

Nanophotocatalysts have been extensively used in recent years for the degradation of organic pollutants, removal of heavy metals, hydrogen production, treatment of air and water, etc. The high catalytic efficiency and recycling of the used nanophotocatalysts are the foremost concerns of this research field. The latter issue can be addressed by fixing the photocatalyst onto a substrate of flexible surface without hindering its catalytic activity. In this study, MgFe 2 O 4 /ZnO nanophotocatalyst was loaded over perlite substrate via co-precipitation method for easy recycling. The magnetic ferrite in the nanocomposite ensured better efficiency over multiple dye degradation cycles. Different characterization techniques, including XRD, SEM, EDX, PL, UV–Vis–DRS, Raman, and FTIR, were used to investigate the opto-physical, magnetic, electrical, and photocatalytic response of the synthesized MgFe 2 O 4 /ZnO/perlite composites. The ternary composite provided enhanced optical harvesting ability and accelerated the formation and transportation of photo-generated electron–hole pairs. MgFe 2 O 4 /ZnO/perlite catalyst presented better photocatalytic efficiency in methylene blue degradation than MgFe 2 O 4 and ZnO. The dye degradation efficiency of MgFe 2 O 4 /ZnO/perlite catalyst was 5 and 4 times higher than MgFe 2 O 4 and ZnO, respectively. The present research paved a new pathway toward the design and preparation of novel photocatalysts using ferrite materials.