Pyrochlore Ce2Zr2O7 decorated over rGO: a photocatalyst that proves to be efficient towards the reduction of 4-nitrophenol and degradation of ciprofloxacin under visible light

Abstract

In the present study, a series of Ce₂Zr₂O₇@rGO nanocomposites were synthesized using a simple solution combustion method followed by a photoreduction technique. The as-prepared samples were well characterised using various analytical techniques to determine the morphological, optical, structural, electrochemical and compositional properties. The presence of oxygen defects was observed from Raman and photoluminescence spectra. The photoreduction of GO to rGO was determined from Raman and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results. The role of rGO proved to be quite significant for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites. The synergistic communication between Ce₂Zr₂O₇ and rGO accelerates the photoreduction of 4-nitrophenol along with the degradation of ciprofloxacin under visible light irradiation. Of the rGO nanocomposites, 3 wt% GO loaded Ce₂Zr₂O₇ reduces 99% of 20 ppm of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol in 120 min and decomposes 10 ppm of ciprofloxacin by up to 89% in 60 min. The significant enhancement in the activity of the Ce₂Zr₂O₇@rGO nanocomposite was ascribed to the effective charge separation of excitons through π-conjugation of graphene at the interface, which is well supported by the impedance, photoluminescence and photocatalytic results.