Development of MAX-Phase/CdS hybrid nanocomposite as an efficient photocatalyst for industrial wastewater treatment

With rapid industrialization and consumerism, production across sectors has surged. The textile and paper industries, lacking proper disposal methods, discharge organic waste into drains and water bodies. This study focuses on developing an effective photocatalyst for degrading toxic dyes in wastewater. MAX-Phase/CdS nanocomposites were synthesized via a thermal decomposition approach at 180°C for 1 h. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized using XRD, FT-IR, Raman, and FE-SEM analysis. The prepared MAX-Phase/CdS nanocomposites have been explored for the degradation of methylene blue dye in aqueous solution. The MAX-Phase/CdS nanocomposite exhibits 97.8% removal efficiency in 60 min compared to the parent compound. A detailed investigation of the mechanism using scavenger studies. The MAX-Phase/CdS nanocomposite has the scope and potential to be an effective photocatalyst, aligning well with environmental concerns and suitable for industrial implementation.