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A Facile Synthesis of GO/CuO Nanocomposite with Enhancing Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Azure-B Dye and Its Antimicrobial Behavior

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Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) and GO/CuO nanocomposites were synthesized by modified Hummer’s and hydrothermal methods, respectively, and characterized using standard techniques such as TEM, TGA-DTA, UV–Vis DRS, EDS and mapping, FESEM, FTIR, Raman, XRD, BET surface area and PL spectra. The photocatalytic degradation of Azure-B dye was carried to evaluate the photocatalytic efficiency of GO/CuO nanocomposite. The superior catalytic activity of the GO/CuO nanocomposite was attributed to the synergism that existed between GO and CuO nanoparticles such as high surface area and small size of GO/CuO NPs. The recycling results demonstrated that the GO/CuO nanocomposite exhibited good stability and long-term durability. In addition, antibacterial studies of the GO and GO/CuO nanocomposite were investigated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. These were also assayed for their antifungal activity against fungal strains Penicillium spp. and A. flavus. The newly synthesized GO/CuO nanocomposite was reported to show excellent antibacterial activity as compared to GO.

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Acknowledgements

One of the authors, Rukhsar Banu, is thankful to University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for the award of Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF). The authors are also thankful to SAIF, CIL laboratories (Chandigarh), for providing UV–Vis, FESEM, XRD and FTIR data. We are thankful to SAIF IITM (Chennai) for Raman and PL spectral data, SICART Laboratory (Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand) for providing TEM data and Microcare Laboratories (Surat) for providing antimicrobial activities data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Photochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University College of Science, M. L. Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313002, India

    Rukhsar Banu, Nutan Salvi, Sharoni Gupta, Chetna Ameta & Pinki B. Punjabi

  2. Department of Chemistry, J. R. N. Rajasthan Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001, India

    Rakshit Ameta

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  1. Rukhsar Banu
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Correspondence to Pinki B. Punjabi.

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Banu, R., Salvi, N., Gupta, S. et al. A Facile Synthesis of GO/CuO Nanocomposite with Enhancing Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Azure-B Dye and Its Antimicrobial Behavior. Arab J Sci Eng 47, 365–378 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-021-05421-0

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