Au@GO@g-C3N4 and Fe2O3 nanocomposite for efficient photocatalytic and electrochemical applications

Abstract Graphene oxide (GO), graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), iron oxide (Fe2O3), and gold nanoparticle-based nanocomposite (Au/GOCNIONPs) has been synthesized using four different routes in order to study several applications. The GO, Fe2O3, and g-C3N4 samples were prepared via Modified hummer, co-precipitation, and thermal exfoliation method, respectively. The facile photo deposition method was adopted for anchoring Au NPs onto g-C3N4 to get the finely structured nanocomposite. Au/GOCNIONPs nanocomposite revealed a face-centered hexagonal structure with an average particle size of 10.67 nm. The XRD peaks of the synthesized nanocomposite were confirmed using JCPDS data card # (00-013-0458), (04-0784), and (87-1526). The Au/GOCNIONPs nanocomposite showed 93.9% and 90.1 % degradation efficiency against the methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B dyes. The synergetic effect of the iron oxide nanoparticles decorated graphene oxide graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposite has shown substantially enhanced and fast dyes degradation within no time that makes it unique compared with other nanocomposites. Moreover, better Photo Luminescence results at the lower excitation wavelength, antibacterial activity results, good stability at comparatively high temperature, super specific-capacitance are the main findings confirming the superior performance of the prepared nanocomposite as compared with other composites, has been a tempting nominee regarding its feasibility, efficiency, and versatility to be used in future.