Sonochemical synthesis of TmVO4/CoFe2O4 nanocomposites for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic dye degradation

Herein, a TmVO 4 /CoFe 2 O 4 (TV-CF) nanocomposite was successfully synthesized via a CTAB-assisted sonochemical method and evaluated for its structural, optical, and photocatalytic properties. The crystal structure results confirmed the formation of tetragonal TmVO 4 and cubic spinel CoFe 2 O 4 , while field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis revealed interconnected nanoparticle morphology. Optical analysis indicated an extended light absorption range for binary TV-CF nanocomposites. The photocatalytic performance was evaluated using malachite green (MG) and erythrosine (ER) dyes under visible-light irradiation. Compared to the TV, the TV-CF nanocomposites exhibited higher degradation efficiencies, demonstrating a synergistic effect between TV and CF structures. Optimization studies revealed the effects of catalyst dosage and pollutant concentration on degradation efficiency, in which 0.6 g/L of TV-CF nanocomposites could degrade 94.80% of 10 ppm ER dye after 120 min. Recycling test showed that the TV-CF sample retained high photocatalytic activity (86.50%) over five cycles, while its magnetic properties allowed for facile recovery and reuse. Overall, the TV-CF nanocomposites combines broad-spectrum light absorption and practical recoverability, highlighting its potential as a robust, sustainable, and multifunctional photocatalyst for the effective removal of organic pollutants from aqueous environments.