The first ternary Nd-MOF/GO/Fe3O4 nanocomposite exhibiting an excellent photocatalytic performance for dye degradation

Abstract

Herein, a ternary nanocomposite photocatalyst (MOF-1/GO/Fe₃O₄) based on a novel Nd-MOF, graphene oxide (GO), and Fe₃O₄ was successfully prepared. It was verified that the MOF nanoparticles and GO sheets were integrated by means of intimate interfacial contacts and a large number of Fe₃O₄ microspheres were uniformly loaded on the surface of GO. The ternary nanocomposite was a stable, environmentally friendly, and efficient visible-light photocatalyst, which displayed excellent photocatalytic performance in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) (∼95%) dye within 80 min under sunlight irradiation in the aqueous solution. Compared to MOF-1, the photocatalytic efficiency of the composite was improved by 90% and the excitation wavelength was moved from the ultraviolet to visible region. The enhancement of photocatalytic performance can be ascribed to the introduction of GO, which efficiently accelerated electron migration, minimized the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, and improved the optical absorption properties, leading to a synergistic facilitation of the photocatalysis process. The ternary composite demonstrated excellent stability and reusability and can be easily recovered by a magnetic field. The study would provide novel avenues for the preparation of highly efficient and environmentally stable photocatalysts for organic wastewater treatment.