Green synthesis of rGO decorated spinal ZrFe2O4 nanocomposite for photocatalysis, energy storage and sensor applications

Current research increasingly focuses on carbon-supported ferrites for integrated photocatalytic and electrochemical applications, aiming to develop efficient materials for water pollution remediation and supercapacitor energy storage. The present study described the synthesis of rGO/ZrFe2O4 (rGO/ZFO) nanocomposite using curry leaves as a reducing agent through a simple laboratory reflux process. The rGO/ZFO nanocomposite was systematically characterized by XRD, TEM, EDS, FTIR, UV–Vis, PL, and XPS to elucidate its structural, morphological, optical, and surface chemical properties. The rGO/ZFO compound proved to be an excellent photocatalyst, degrading the Methyl violet (MV) dye by 95% in 90 min under UV light irradiation. The enhanced proton diffusion coefficient (0.1306 m²/s) and electron transfer resistance of the rGO/ZFO electrode resulted in increased anodic and cathodic peak currents, indicating the material's electrochemical sensitivity. The energy storage and sensing capabilities of rGO/ZFO were tested using a developed electrode, which revealed a specific capacitance of 122.3 F/g and 96% stability after 1000 cycles at a current density of 1 A/g, respectively. The electrochemical sensing investigation of rGO/ZFO revealed that the limits of detection and quantification for uric acid were 14.45 mM and 45.31 mM, respectively, for rGO/ZFO, and 11.45 mM and 34.70 mM for ZFO. As a result, the findings suggested that the nanocomposite is a promising candidate for environmental remediation and energy-related applications.