Highly Efficient Mg_0.75Ce_0.25Fe₁₂O₁₉ @ZIF-67 Heterojunction Co-catalyst for Photo-reduction of Rhodamine B

This research presents a comprehensive investigation into the synthesis and application of novel composite photocatalysts, namely Mg_0.75Ce_0.25Fe₁₂O₁₉@ZIF-67 for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye under sunlight irradiation. The synthesis involved the preparation of Mg_0.75Ce_0.25Fe₁₂O₁₉ and ZIF-67 frameworks, followed by the fabrication of the composite catalyst. Various characterization techniques, such as XRD, SEM, EDX, and FTIR, were employed to assess the structural, morphological, and compositional properties of the synthesized materials. Photocatalytic experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the catalysts in degrading RhB, revealing remarkable enhancement in degradation efficiency (90%) using the composite photocatalyst compared to individual components. The effects of catalyst type, dosage, and pH on the degradation process were systematically investigated. Furthermore, a proposed mechanism elucidated the role of the Mg_0.75Ce_0.25Fe₁₂O₁₉@ZIF-67 cocatalyst for RhB degradation under solar light, highlighting the generation of radicals as key contributors for degradation process.