Fabrication of Novel Heterostructure-Functionalized Graphene-Based TiO₂-Sr-Hexaferrite Photocatalyst for Environmental Remediation

Abstract

Novel visible-light photocatalyst (titanium-dioxide-functionalized graphene/strontium-hexaferrites) TiO2-FG/Sr-hexaferrite nanocomposites were fabricated using a simple hydrothermal technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopic analysis, and atomic force microscopy were used to analyze the composites as prepared. The unique TiO2-FG/Sr-hexaferrite-based composite catalyst reveals superior photocatalytic properties for the disintegration of organic dyes methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (Rh. B) under visible-light irradiation. The result showed that the functionalized graphene with ternary structure improved the catalytic behavior of the composite due to the synergistic effect of the TiO2-FG boosted by the graphene surface to provide a fast conducting path to the photogenerated charge carrier. The markedly high photocatalytic behavior has been ascribed to the formation of the ternary structure between TiO2, FG, and Sr-hexaferrites through interface interaction. The prepared photocatalyst composite exhibited better recyclability, which further confirms its future uses as a photocatalyst in industrial waste products.

Keywords

• photocatalysis
• graphene
• dyes
• remediation
• TEM