Work

A novel CuO/rGO composite for catalytic degradation of methylene blue

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study uses an eco-friendly reducing agent to explore the synthesis of copper oxide (CuO) on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Modified Hummers’ Method was employed to prepare graphene oxide and has been characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy and FTIR. The synthesized composite (CuO/rGO) is characterized by EDX, UV-Vis spectroscopy, SEM, FTIR, and XRD to analyze its structural, morphological, and optical properties and chemical composition. The SEM images depict thin layered structures stacked together, which successfully indicates the exfoliation of rGO. Additionally, small round structures are visible across the rGO sheets and are attributed to CuO particles. The crystalline size of the composite was found to be 0.69 nm. The ability of the composite to break down methylene blue (MB) was studied under sunlight to explore its application in wastewater treatment. The catalyst showed degradation efficiency of 97.20 ± 0.93 % in 60 mL of dye solution with a very low catalyst dosage of just 15 mg in 30 min. According to the research findings, the composite proved to be an effective catalyst for dye degradation. In addition, the hydroxyl radicals' involvement in the photocatalytic degradation process was also confirmed by a radical scavenging experiment, which showed a decrease in the degradation of MB to 94.28 %.

Source: Next Materials

DOI: 10.1016/j.nxmate.2025.101131

Authors: Gunja Prasad, Suveksha Tamang, Joydeep Biswas, Sangeeta Jha, Nayan Kamal Bhattacharyya

Institution: Sikkim Manipal University

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques

Subfield: Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

Field: Energy

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,280