Synthesis and investigation on synergetic effect of rGO-ZnO decorated MoS2 microflowers with enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activity

The sunlight driven photocatalytic activity of semiconductor based nanocomposites has attracted extensive attention in recent years for environmental remediation and energy applications. Here, we report an effective strategy to synthesis ternary MoS2-ZnO-reduced graphene oxide (MZG) nanocomposite as a photocatalyst by a facile hydrothermal method. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by various analytical tools. The basic photocatalytic mechanism of the composite material was exhibited the photoexcited electrons of ZnO can be readily transported to MoS2 through rGO backbone, reducing the electron-hole pair recombination. The photocatalytic performance was optimized using methylene blue as a model organic dye under natural sunlight irradiation. The results were compared with pure and binary, MZG ternary nanocomposites exhibit superior photocatalytic activity. In a continuation of environmental remediation studies, MZG ternary nanocomposites revealed high antibacterial activity towards Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus), high-lighting its potential photocatalytic and antibacterial properties at different industrial and medical applications. This study may afford some inspiration for the rational design and facile synthesis of composite catalysts with a high and tunable catalytic property through a green, efficient pathway.