Boosting photocatalytic interaction of sulphur doped reduced graphene oxide-based S@rGO/NiS₂ nanocomposite for destruction of pathogens and organic pollutant degradation caused by visible light

Semiconductive materials that are activated by solar light and have a low e^- and h⁺ pair recombination rate, a short bandgap, and fast charge carrier characteristics are effective organic pollution treatment catalysts. Synthesizing sulphur doped reduced graphene oxide/NiS₂ (S@rGO/NiS2) nanocomposites (NCs) for effective dye-degradation through photocatalysis under solar irradiation is the subject of this paper. S@rGO/NiS₂ NCs were made using a simple and efficient S@rGO nanosheets in NiS₂ solution technique. When bound to rGO, NiS₂ nanoparticles (NPs) act as an effective catalyst for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye. SEM, EPR, FTIR, UV–vis, photocurrent responses, XRD, and EDX were used to characterize S@rGO/NiS₂ NCs. S@rGO/NiS₂ is predominantly utilized as a photocatalyst for photoreaction-based degradation of aqueous MB dye. The nanocomposite removes 96 percent of the MB dye in 84 min. The presence of NiS₂ NPs in the catalyst increases the formation of hydroxyl radicals (OH), which supports the photocatalytic process by suppressing electron (e^-) and hole (h⁺) recombination, resulting in the destruction of organic contaminants. The catalyst's effectiveness is further tested by altering the pH of the MB solution medium. The reaction rate is pH dependent, with the quickest degradation time in the presence of S@rGO/NiS₂ NCs occurring at pH 8. The reusable catalytic characteristics of suspended S@rGO/NiS₂ NCs are investigated for six cycles, yielding a degradation efficiency of more than 93 percent in 84 min. Under sunlight, the antibacterial effectiveness of S@rGO/NiS₂ was investigated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. These promising findings could be used to purify polluted water from numerous sectors.