Construction of a S-scheme CdS/CuFe2O4 heterojunction with suppressed charge recombination for enhanced visible light-driven photocatalytic activity

Effective interfacial engineering to fabricate a suitable nano-photocatalyst for environmental remediation is on high demand. A magnetic nanocomposite is a potential candidate for reusability and recovery from treated wastewater. CuFe2O4/CdS nanoclusters (NCs) were fabricated using a chemical co-precipitation method. SEM and TEM images of the fabricated NCs revealed coral-like agglomerations and polycrystalline nature of NCs with clear lattice fringes. XPS and EDAX were performed for elemental analysis. The apparent photodegradation rate of dye by NCs is two-fold higher compared to that of pure CdS and CuFe2O4. The S-scheme interface retained both strong potential e(-)/h(+) for OH and O-2(-) production under visible light illumination. A 97.71% photocatalytic efficiency was retained after six cycles of reuse. This enhancement in the photocatalytic performance of NCs demonstrates their excellent potential to behave as environmental remediating agents.