Fabrication of a Ternary Nanocomposite g-C₃N₄/Cu@CdS with Superior Charge Separation for Removal of Organic Pollutants and Bacterial Disinfection from Wastewater under Sunlight Illumination

Abstract

The synthesis of a photo-catalyst with a narrow bandgap and efficient capability to degrade contaminants in the presence of sunlight is currently challenging but exciting. In this work, an efficient photocatalytic ternary nanocomposite g-C3N4/Cu@CdS has been synthesized successfully by using the co-precipitation method. The synthesized composite was then characterized by SEM, XRD studies, EDX analysis, and ultra-violet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy. The catalytic efficiency for the methylene blue (MB) dye and drug degradation (ciprofloxacin) was assessed by UV-visible absorption spectra. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were used to test the fabrication composite’s antibacterial properties. Various compositions (1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 9%) of/Cu@CdS nanocomposite (NCs) and 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60% of g-C3N4 NCs were prepared. Results reveal that 5%Cu@CdS and 40%g-C3N45%Cu@CdS showed maximum antibacterial activity and photocatalytic degradation of dye and drug. The X-ray pattern showed no remarkable change in doped and pristine CdS nanoparticles (NPs). The efficient photocatalytic degradation activity of the fabricated ternary nanocomposite against MB dye and ciprofloxacin an antibiotic drug makes it a viable contender for solving environmental problems.

Keywords

• ternary nanocomposite
• antibacterial activity
• catalytic degradation
• methylene blue
• ciprofloxacin