Rational design of Ag-CuFe₂O₄/rGO heterojunction nanocomposite for efficient organic azo-dye degradation and mechanistic pathways toward Environmental Remediation

The fashion industry today utilizes a wide variety of dyes, raising global concerns about their toxicity, carcinogenic properties, and potential for bioaccumulation. In light of these issues, researchers are increasingly focusing on a diverse range of photocatalysts for the effective remediation of dyes. In this research, the synthesis of Ag-CuFe₂O₄/rGO nanocomposites is achieved through a hydrothermal method followed by an ultrasonication method. Various analytical techniques were used to analyze the prepared samples, such as XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDS, elemental mapping, HRTEM, and UV–Vis analyses. Results indicated successful decoration of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and CuFe₂O₄ on 2D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets. The fabricated interfacial binary heterostructure demonstrated effective photocatalytic capabilities for the remedy of mixed dye pollutants when exposed to UV–visible light. Factors such as a broad range of light absorption, efficient charge separation, and swift charge transport enhanced the photocatalytic performance of these heterostructures. The optimized Ag-CuFe₂O₄/rGO nanocomposites achieved impressive degradation efficiencies of 96.27%, 97.27%, and 93.73% for Methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B, and MB and RhB mixed dyes, respectively. Additionally, the study explored the tentative photocatalytic mechanism, conducted scavenger experiments, and assessed the recyclability and stability of the nanocomposites. These findings highlighted that hydroxyl radical (^•OH) species significantly contribute to the photocatalytic degradation process under UV–visible light illumination. Overall, Ag-CuFe₂O₄/rGO nanocomposites demonstrate strong potential for efficiently degrading organic azo-dyes in industrial wastewater and promoting environmental cleanup.