Fe 2 O 3 -graphene anchored Ag nanocomposite catalyst for enhanced sonocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

In the present research work, Fe 2 O 3 -graphene-Ag (FGA) was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The sonocatalytic activity of the FGA particles was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under ultrasonic irradiation, revealing their good sonocatalytic activity. The effects of various experimental factors, such as dosage, time, and ultrasonic frequencies on the sonocatalytic efficiency were investigated; a significant influence of different factors on the sonocatalytic degradation of MB was observed, whereas the best degradation conditions were obtained when ultrasonic irradiation was performed for 90 min at room temperature considering MB concentration = 0.5 g L −1 , C catalyts = 1 g L −1 , and pH 6.5. Moreover, the sonocatalytic activity of the FGA was compared to that of Fe 2 O 3 (F), graphene (G), and Fe 2 O 3 -graphene (FG). As a result, the FGA was found to exhibit higher sonocatalytic activity than other catalysts (FGA > FG > G > F), which evidenced the practical utility of the synthesized FGA as a highly effective catalyst for the removal of dye pollutants. Finally, the plausible sonocatalytic mechanism of FGA is also discussed in this work.