Synthesis of a new FeMoO4/AgI nanocomposite for enhanced RhB degradation under visible light

A new visible light-active FeMoO4/AgI nanocomposites was synthesized via a straightforward co-precipitation process. The resulting FeMoO4/AgI nanocomposites undertake comprehensive characterization using XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, UV–vis DRS, PL and XPS spectroscopic analyses. Morphological investigations revealed that AgI nanoparticles aggregated and adhered to FeMoO4 nanoplates. When subjected to visible light, the FeMoO4/AgI nanocomposites exhibited superior efficiency in decomposing RhB solution compared to pure AgI. The optimized FeMoO4-loaded AgI nanocomposite with a 10 wt% loading demonstrated significantly enhanced degrading efficiency, achieving around 73% degradation and a rate constant of 1.94×10–2 min−1. This efficiency was 2.3 times higher than that of pure AgI. Recycling test conducted with the optimized FMO/AgI-10 nanocomposite indicated sustained degrading activity over five cycles. Active radicals, particularly superoxide (O2–) and holes (h+), were identified as crucial role in the degradation of RhB. Therefore, we believe that the newly developed FeMoO4/AgI nanocomposite holds promise as a viable material for treating RhB-contaminated wastewater.