Enhanced radical production via visible light-induced activation of Mn substituted BFO@rGO heterojunction towards moxifloxacin and colored pollutant: Elucidation of degradation mechanism

The recent industrialization and population growth have intensified the environmental challenge. The mixed-metal photocatalysis of moxifloxacin in water is examined via the synthesis of degradation byproducts and the assessment of residual antibacterial effectiveness after photocatalytic treatment. In this study, it was presented the synergistic effect of Mn substituted Barium hexaferrite with rGO nanocomposite to enhance the photocatalytic properties of BaFe₁₂O₁₉ (BFO) catalysts. X-ray diffraction analysis was recorded to examine crystal sizes and phase analyses. The SEM images at different magnifications and TEM were examined to study the morphology of synthesized nanocomposites. The bandgap was determined using Tauc plot, revealing that combination of nanocomposite synthesized new energy state in electronic structure that is suited for photocatalysis during visible light irradiation. BFMRG2 has outstanding photocatalytic activity compared to BFO, BFRG and BFMRG1 photocatalysts due to its decreased band gap value. The photocatalytic activity of fabricated materials was investigated by moxifloxacin and Methylene Blue under visible light irradiations. ⁠ BFMRG2 nanocomposite demonstrated remarkable photocatalytic efficiency as compared to the pure BFO nanomaterial This remarkable increase in the photodegradation process was caused by photoexcited species moving from the conduction band to rGO, where they are trapped and their recombination chances reduced. Overall, when exposed to visible light, this study provides new understanding research where BFMRG2 nanocomposite effectively utilize as an efficient photocatalyst to address environmentally friendly concerns.