Sonochemical Synthesis of Iron Vanadate/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite and Investigation of Its Optical and Photocatalytic Properties

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Nanotechnology, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

10.22075/chem.2026.40038.2417

Abstract

This research focuses on the successful synthesis of the Fe0.5V3.5O8/rGO nanocomposite through a simple sonochemical method. Structural characterization results indicated that the Fe0.5V3.5O8/rGO phase (with an orthorhombic structure) was formed in the final sample by the complete reduction of GO (graphene oxide) to rGO (reduced graphene oxide). Microscopic images confirmed that the presence of rGO significantly improved the morphology, reduced the particle size, and resulted in their uniform dispersion on the graphene sheets. Optical properties analysis by DRS spectroscopy showed a noticeable red shift and a reduction in the bandgap from 2 eV to 1.6 eV in the nanocomposite, which drastically increased its absorption capability in the visible light region. Photocatalytic evaluation in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation using a 400 W Osram lamp for 30 minutes revealed that the nanocomposite achieved a degradation efficiency of 81%. This superior performance is directly attributed to enhanced surface adsorption and improved optical properties, compared to the pure metal oxide. Experimental data indicated that the reaction follows a zero-order kinetic model, with a high correlation coefficient of R2 = 0.96. These results demonstrate the efficiency of the Fe0.5V3.5O8/rGO nanocomposite in the removal of MB.

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Applied Chemistry Today
Volume 21, Issue 78
May 2026
Pages 139-154

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