Exploring the synergistic photocatalytic performance and optical properties of NiMoO₄ decorated Ti₃C₂T_x (NiMoO₄/MXene) nanocomposite via hydrothermal technique

Wastewater treatment is a prominent research area that has the potential to relieve water scarcity worldwide. Amid those studied photocatalysts, nickel molybdenum oxide (NiMoO₄) features a wide surface area, good electrical conductivity, low cost, along with visible light absorption, making it an excellent choice for photocatalytic applications. Herein, we present the degradation of organic contaminants such as Methylene blue (MB) from aqueous media utilising UV light. For enhancement of photocatalytic activity, we fabricate a nanohybrid system consisting of NiMoO₄ nanoparticles and two-dimensional (2D) MXene sheets, abbreviated as the NiMoO₄/Ti₃C₂T_x (MXene). Herein, NiMoO₄/MXene composite was synthesised via facile hydrothermal technique. Furthermore, these as-synthesized nanocrystals were characterized by employing various techniques. FTIR analysis revealed distinct vibrational modes for Ni-O and Mo-O. Morphological Studies were performed using SEM analysis. The optical band gap was determined using UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, and the results revealed a decrease in bandgap from 2.85 eV to 2.60 eV. XRD confirmed the monoclinic structure of the as-synthesized NiMoO₄/MXene NPs. The presence of Ni 2p, Mo 3d, O 1s, and C 1s is confirmed by XPS spectra. The photocatalytic performance against methylene blue (MB) was investigated, and the outcome results showed maximal degradation (97 % of MB) was attained in 8 min. Therefore, this research study resulted that NiMoO₄/MXene enhanced photo-catalytic efficiency faster than anticipated.