Effective suppression of salting-out crystallization for degradation of methyl orange dye using ZnFe₂O₄/Ag/AgCl nanocomposites

Abstract

Herein, we report how the effective suppression of salting-out crystallization leads to the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange as a bare dye and binary mixed form with methylene blue using the zinc ferrite/silver/silver chloride (ZF/Ag/AgCl) nanocomposite. The work presents the first-time report of photocatalytic degradation of the mixed dye, comprising both anionic and cationic species, as a model industrial discharge using the ZF/Ag/AgCl nanocomposite. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis are performed to validate the characteristics and suitability of samples. This study revealed the photocatalytic degradation of binary mixed dyes exposed under solar irradiation for 3.5 h with degradation efficiencies of 97.5% and 96% against anionic and cationic dyes, respectively, without the addition of any oxidizing agents, as well as efficient magnetic retrievability, recyclability, and stability of the sample, comparable with that against single and binary mixed dyes. The evaluation of the total organic carbon was also conducted to monitor the effective mineralization of the dye. Thus, the suitability of the sample as a magnetically retrievable and visible light-active photocatalyst for the degradation of toxic mixed dyes is explored.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

zinc ferrite nanocomposites / silver chloride / salting-out crystallization / photocatalysis / mixed dye / magnetic retrievability

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