Utilization of copper chromite-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite for the wastewater remediation and effective supercapacitive performance

Abstract

This article has detailed the growth of virgin copper chromite nanoparticles (CuCr2O4 NPs) and reduced graphene oxide sheet (rGO)-based CuCr2O4 nanocomposite through the process of reflux condensation method and calcination process. When exposed to visible light, these two synthesized nanomaterials exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity which helps in the degradation of organic dyes such as methylene blue. Numerous characterization methods, including FTIR, UV–visible analysis, and XRD, verify the creation of these nanomaterials. The CuCr2O4-rGO nanocomposite's semiconductor nature is confirmed by the band gap analysis using Tauc's formula. The CuCr2O4 NPs grown on the rGO surface have a dimension of 6 nm, according to the TEM study and particle distribution graph. To find the reason for the enhanced photo-activity, we have proposed a photocatalytic mechanism which is supported by photoluminescence result. Recyclability in five more cycles is used to measure the stability of the nanocomposite, and it is found that photocatalytic efficiency does not significantly decline up to five cycles. When exploring the CuCr2O4-rGO nanocomposite as a material for supercapacitor electrodes, it showcased a remarkable specific capacity of 681.43 F/g at 0.5 A g−1. Moreover, the CuCr2O4-rGO nanocomposite electrode displayed a long-term life cycle, retaining 93.8 % of its initial capacity after 1200 cycles, paired with a commendable Coulombic efficiency of 95.31 % and outstanding power and energy density of 1504 W/kg and 23.66 Wh/kg respectively.