Bifunctional graphene oxide nanocomposites: integrated catalysis and pathogen control in industrial effluent

Selvaraj S.; Selvaraju N.; Natesan K.; Cohaila A.B.Q.; Ghazwani M.; Saminathan R.; Venugopal G. · Materials Letters (2026) · DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2026.140525

Resumen

Textile industry effluents, laden with persistent dyes, salts, and microbial contaminants, pose serious environmental and health challenges. The reduced graphene-oxide/molybdenum-disulfide(rGO/MoS₂) heterogeneous nanocomposite was prepared via a sonication-assisted hydrothermal method. The combination of rGO's exceptional electrical conductivity and high surface area, with MoS₂’s visible-light responsiveness and catalytic edge sites, results in superior photocatalytic and adsorptive properties. Under visible-light illumination, the rGO/MoS₂ composite achieved approximately 98% degradation of real textile wastewater within 180min, significantly outperforming its individual components due to enhanced charge separation at the rGO-MoS₂ heterojunction. Additionally, treated wastewater showed no detectable waterborne bacteria, demonstrating the composite's effective antibacterial activity. These findings establish rGO/MoS₂ nanocomposites as promising dual-function nanocatalysts for sustainable and efficient industrial wastewater remediation and pathogen control, offering a scalable solution for future water treatment technologies.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann