Boosting visible-light photodegradation of methyl orange and ibuprofen over rGO-supported Ag3PO4 nanocomposite

Abstract

A novel rGO/Ag3PO4 nanocomposites were synthesized using a straightforward precipitation method. The as-prepared rGO/Ag3PO4 nanocomposites were thoroughly characterized through different tools, and their catalytic activity for the decomposition of ibuprofen (IBU) antibiotic plus methyl orange (MO) dye was studied for the first time. The outcomes revealed the successful preparation of modified Ag3PO4. The rGO/Ag3PO4 nanocomposite exhibited exceptional photodegradation efficiency for MO dye (97 % removal in 90 min) and IBU antibiotic (90.3 % elimination in 240 min) displaying a rate constant of 0.0295, and 0.0085 min−1, respectively, under visible light illumination. The catalytic efficacy was optimized in degradation studies by changing variables like catalyst dose and solution pH. Radical scavenger studies have validated the impact of reactive species in antibiotic and dye decomposition. The holes were essential in photocatalytic decomposition. Furthermore, the photocatalyst can be recycled four times without losing much activity. Finally, the mechanism for the catalyst's photodegradation was proposed.