Synthesis of rGO-Supported NiCo2O4/NiS nanocomposite for effective degradation of diclofenac and bromophenol blue

Abstract

The removal of organic effluents from polluted water is a significant concern. Photodegradation of organic effluents can be performed using different photocatalysts. For this purpose, herein nickel cobaltite (NC) was prepared via the auto moisturization route and nickel sulfide (NS) via a hydrothermal approach. rGO-based nanocomposite (NC/NS/rGO) was synthesized using an ultrasonication approach. The as-prepared nanocatalysts were employed for bromophenol blue and diclofenac degradation. The outcomes of colored (bromophenol blue) effluent degradation by NC, NS, NC/NS, and NC/NS/rGO was found to be 42.65 %, 33.92 %, 56.19 %, and 81.44 %, respectively. The % degradation of diclofenac by NC/NS and NC/NS/rGO was realized to be 44.05 % and 65.98 %, respectively. NC/NS/rGO showed greater catalytic activity than other fabricated nanocatalysts due to the combined effect of nickel cobaltite and nickel sulfide and the existence of rGO. The rGO layers exhibited immense and active sites for the degradation reaction. A radical trapping analysis was performed to investigate the participation of active species in the photocatalytic reaction.