Magnesium ferrite/titanium dioxide/reduced graphene oxide composite photocatalyst for degradation of crystal violet under ultraviolet irradiation

Critical water pollution due to human activities is currently a major issue that requires immediate and potent solutions. Therefore, the study focuses on the synthesis of the three-component nanocomposite magnesium ferrite/titanium dioxide/reduced graphene oxide aerogel (MFO/TiO2/rGOA - MTG) via the hydrothermal-assisted co-precipitation method. Characterization results of the synthesized materials revealed the successful incorporation of MFO and TiO2 nano/microparticles on the rGO substrate. In addition, the composite was utilized as a photocatalyst to decompose crystal violet (CV) under UV irradiation. Additionally, the effect of MFO content on the photodegradation efficiency was thoroughly investigated, which acquired excellent efficiency of over 99%. The reusability of MTG was also evaluated, retaining good performance after five reusing cycles. Besides, the photocatalytic activity was further examined through the first-ordered kinetics model based on the obtained experimental data. And free radicals, including center dot O-2(-), h(+), and center dot OH, were elucidated to play exquisite roles in the CV removal process to subsequently propose an appropriate degradation mechanism using the MTG photocatalyst. From the aforementioned results, the innovative strategy in preparing the multi-component MTG composite potentially helps expand the applications in dye-polluted wastewater remediation.