Solar Light-Irradiated Photocatalytic Degradation of Model Dyes and Industrial Dyes by a Magnetic CoFe2O4-gC(3)N(4) S-Scheme Heterojunction Photocatalyst

CoFe2O4-gC(3)N(4) nanocomposites were successfully synthesized, and their photocatalytic activities toward the decomposition of model synthetic dyes (e.g., methylene blue, methyl orange, and Congo red) in the presence of H2O2 were evaluated under simulated solar light irradiation. The 50CoFe(2)O(4)-50gC(3)N(4) nanocomposite exhibited the highest catalytic activity. The catalytic activity of 50CoFe(2)O(4)-50gC(3)N(4) toward the photodegradation of some industrially used dyes (such as Drimaren Turquoise CL-B p, Drimaren Yellow CL-2R p, and Drimaren Red CL-5B p) was also examined, and the catalyst exhibited its capability to decompose the industrial dyes completely. An aqueous mixture of these dyes was prepared to mimic the dye-containing wastewater, which was fully photodegraded within 30 min. 50CoFe(2)O(4)-50gC(3)N(4) also exhibited facile magnetic separability from the reaction mixture after the accomplishment of photocatalysis reaction and stable performance after five cycles. The high photocatalytic efficiency to degrade several dyes, including dyes used in textile industries, under solar light irradiation makes 50CoFe(2)O(4)-50gC(3)N(4) a promising photocatalyst for the treatment of dye-containing wastewater discharged from industries.

Automated summary

CoFe2O4-gC(3)N(4) nanocomposites exhibit high photocatalytic efficiency in degrading various synthetic and industrial dyes, with complete degradation of dye-containing wastewater within 30 minutes under sunlight. The nanocomposites also show stable performance and easy magnetic separability, making them promising for industrial wastewater treatment.