Synthesis of visible light responsive Ce0.2Co0.8Fe2O4/g-C3N4 composites for efficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B

Unintentional leakage of dyes into the aquatic environment has exacerbated global contamination of water resources in recent years, posing a serious danger to aquatic life and human health. As a result, highly adaptable and effective measures are required to address the worldwide environmental challenge posed by dye usage. Herein, we have adopted hydrothermal technique to synthesize a visible light-induced catalyst based on the Ce 0.2 Co 0.8 Fe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 composite. The catalysts were characterized in terms of their morphological, structural, and photoluminescence properties. The photocatalytic proficiency of the Ce 0.2 Co 0.8 Fe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 composite was determined by its ability to degrade rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. Ce 0.2 Co 0.8 Fe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 exhibited superior degradation potential, degrading RhB to 90.27 % in 60 min, compared to CoFe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 (72.28 %), Ce 0.2 Co 0.8 Fe 2 O 4 (64.45 %) and CoFe 2 O 4 (56.63 %) under predetermined reaction conditions (catalyst dosage = 0.4 g/L, RhB concentration = 20 mg/L, pH = 7, T  = 25 ± 1 °C). The substantial increase in photocatalytic potential was attributed mostly to the interfacial migration of photo-induced charge carriers from g-C 3 N 4 to Ce 0.2 Co 0.8 Fe 2 O 4 , which may facilitate electron migration. The as-synthesized catalyst demonstrated outstanding stability in four successive cycles. This study may provide a low-cost approach for fabricating visible-light responsive catalysts for use in environmental remediation applications.