One-Pot Phyto-Mediated Synthesis of Fe2O3/Fe3O4 Binary Mixed Nanocomposite Efficiently Applied in Wastewater Remediation by Photo-Fenton Reaction

A binary Fe2O3/Fe3O4 mixed nanocomposite was prepared by phyto-mediated avenue to
be suited in the photo-Fenton photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) in the presence of H2O2
.
XRD and SEM analyses illustrated that Fe2O3 nanoparticles of average crystallite size 8.43 nm
were successfully mixed with plate-like aggregates of Fe3O4 with a 15.1 nm average crystallite
size. Moreover, SEM images showed a porous morphology for the binary Fe2O3/Fe3O4 mixed
nanocomposite that is favorable for a photocatalyst. EDX and elemental mapping showed intense
iron and oxygen peaks, confirming composite purity and symmetrical distribution. FTIR analysis
displayed the distinct Fe-O assignments. Moreover, the isotherm of the developed nanocomposite
showed slit-shaped pores in loose particulates within plate-like aggregates and a mesoporous poresize distribution. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated the high thermal stability of the
prepared Fe2O3/Fe3O4 binary nanocomposite. The optical properties illustrated a narrowing in the
band gab (Eg = 2.92 eV) that enabled considerable absorption in the visible region of solar light.
Suiting the developed binary Fe2O3/Fe3O4 nanocomposite in the photo-Fenton reaction along with
H2O2 supplied higher productivity of active oxidizing species and accordingly a higher degradation
efficacy of MB. The solar-driven photodegradation reactions were conducted and the estimated rate
constants were 0.002, 0.0047, and 0.0143 min−1 when using the Fe2O3/Fe3O4 nanocomposite, pure
H2O2
, and the Fe2O3/Fe3O4/H2O2 hybrid catalyst, respectively. Therefore, suiting the developed
binary Fe2O3/Fe3O4 nanocomposite and H2O2
in photo-Fenton reaction supplied higher productivity
of active oxidizing species and accordingly a higher degradation efficacy of MB. After being subjected
to four photo-Fenton degradation cycles, the Fe2O3/Fe3O4 nanocomposite catalyst still functioned
admirably. Further evaluation of Fe2O3/Fe3O4 nanocomposite in photocatalytic remediation of
contaminated water using a mixture of MB and pyronine Y (PY) dyestuffs revealed substantial dye
photodegradation efficiencies