Exploring the diverse applications of sol-gel synthesized CaO:MgAl2O4 nanocomposite: morphological, photocatalytic, and electrochemical perspectives

A nanocomposite of CaO:MgAl2O4 was synthesized through a straightforward and cost-effective sol-gel method. The investigation of the novel CaO:MgAl2O4 nanocomposite encompassed an examination of its morphological and structural alterations, as well as an exploration of its photocatalytic activities and electrochemical characteristics. XRD analysis revealed a nanocomposite size of 24.15 nm. The band gap, determined through UV studies, was found to be 3.83 eV, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) illustrated flake-like morphological changes in the CaO:MgAl2O4 samples. TEM, HRTEM, and SAED studies of a CaO:MgAl2O4 nanocomposite would reveal important details about its morphology, crystallography, and nanostructure. Photocatalytic activity was quantified by studying the degradation of Acid Red-88 (AR-88) dye in a deionized solution, achieving a 70% dye degradation under UV irradiation in 120 min. Plant growth examinations were carried out using dye degraded water to test its suitability for agriculture. The electrochemical energy storage and sensing applications of the prepared nanocomposite were examined using CaO:MgAl2O4 modified carbon paste electrode through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). In conclusion, the synthesized CaO:MgAl2O4 nanocomposite demonstrated promising morphological and structural characteristics, efficient photocatalytic activity, and potential applications in electrochemical energy storage, highlighting its versatility for various technological and environmental applications.

Tunable sulphur doping on CuFe2O4 nanostructures for the selective elimination of organic dyes from water

In this work, sulphur doped copper ferrites (S-CuFe2O4) photocatalysts were successfully synthesized for the first time using the facile hydrothermal method. The as-synthesized photocatalysts were characterized through XRD, Raman, TGA, FT-IR, UV-Vis-DRS, SEM, EDX and PL techniques. The results revealed that doping with sulphur has been found to be a suitable alternative that causes strain in the lattices as anions replace the oxygen from the CuFe2O4 nanostructures. Due to sulphur dopants, photocatalysts are able to efficiently trap and transfer the photoinduced charges, which readily suppress charge recombination. A UV-Vis spectrophotometer was used to monitor the degradation of selective toxic organic dyes (RhB, CR, MO, and CV) in aqueous media. The dye degradation results provide evidence for the surprisingly superior performance of S-CuFe2O4 over pristine CuFe2O4. On the basis of its efficiencies, this work can be assigned as an excellent candidate for photocatalysis science.

Fabrication of black TiO2−x/CuFe2O4 decorated on diatomaceous earth with enhanced sonocatalytic activity for ibuprofen mitigation

This study reports facile fabrication of black TiO_2−x/CuFe₂O₄ (Ti³⁺ self-doped titania coupled with copper ferrite), an efficient sonocatalyst for ibuprofen (IBP) mitigation.

Improved Performance of BiVO4 via Surface-Deposited Magnetic CuFe2O4 for Phenol Oxidation and O2 Reduction and Evolution under Visible Light

Monoclinic BiVO₄ (BiV) is a good photoanode for water oxidation but a poor photocatalyst for organic oxidation because of slow O₂ reduction. In this work, a well-crystallized BiV microdecahedron (1-2 μm) has been deposited with a poorly crystallized cubic CuFe₂O₄ (CF) nanosphere (100 nm). For phenol oxidation and O₂ reduction to H₂O₂ in aqueous suspension under visible light, 1 wt % CF/BiV was more active than BiV by approximately factors of 14 and 7, respectively, while CF was almost not active. A (photo)electrochemical measurement showed that CF/BiV was more active than BiV not only for phenol and water oxidation under visible light but also for O₂ reduction and water oxidation in the dark. Moreover, as compared to BiV, CF/BiV was more efficient in the charge transfer to a solution species but less efficient either in the light-on electron generation or in the light-off electron disappearance. Based on the solid band edge potentials measured by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, a possible Z scheme mechanism is proposed involving charge recombination at the CF/BiV interfaces followed by the increased O₂ reduction on CF and the increased phenol oxidation on BiV.

Enhancement of hydrogen production of a Cu–TiO2nanocomposite photocatalyst combined with broad spectrum absorption sensitizer Erythrosin B

A broad spectrum absorption photocatalytic system has been expected for a long time, especially for catalysts where the absorption mainly concentrates on the ultraviolet region, like TiO₂.