Enhanced degradation of dyes using a novel CuS/g-C3N4/rGO ternary composite catalyst: Synthesis, characterization, and mechanistic insights

Abstract

This work reports the synthesis, characterization, and application of a novel CuS/g-C3N4/rGO ternary composite catalyst for the enhanced degradation of dyes. CuS nano-flowers, and the composites CuS/rGO, CuS/g-C3N4, and CuS/g-C3N4/rGO were synthesised using the hydrothermal method and characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, UV–Vis, and PL spectroscopy. These samples were studied for the photocatalysis of Malachite green (MG) and Murexide (MX) dyes under visible light. Among the four samples, the CuS/g-C3N4/rGO ternary composite has shown 97.05 % and 72.16 % degradation for MG and MX dyes respectively at the timeframe of 70 min. The results are obtained for a little catalytic load of 10 mg and a higher dye concentration of 25 ppm. Detailed mechanistic insights into the dye degradation process were obtained through the analysis of band-edge potential supported by Impedance and PL spectra. The enhancement in the photocatalytic property of the ternary composite can be attributed to the synergistic effects between individual components, including enhanced light absorption, efficient charge separation and improved catalytic activity. The obtained results demonstrate that the novel ternary composite, CuS/g-C3N4/rGO is a promising catalyst for the degradation of MG and MX dyes in wastewater treatment applications.