A Facile Synthesis of Fe3o4@cuo Nanocomposite: Dual Functionality for Photocatalytic Degradation of Cango Red Dye and Antimicrobial Properties

In this study, Psidium guajava (P. guajava) leaf extract-assisted iron oxide-copper oxide nanocomposite (Fe3O4@CuO NCs) was synthesized and characterized by various analytical techniques. The synergistic effect of the Fe3O4@CuO NCs on the optical and structural characteristics of Fe3O4@CuO NCs that can be employed in the water remediation process was examined. The structural characteristics and overall preparation process of Fe3O4 NPs and Fe3O4@CuO NCs were examined using XRD and TEM measurements. The elemental identification of NCs was made using the morphological combination of FE-SEM and EDX. Fe3O4@CuO NCs were discovered to be a direct allowed transition, according to optical absorption tests in the UV-visible region. The energy bandgap value dropped from 2.70 eV to 2.55 eV based on the change of Fe3O4 NPs in Fe3O4@CuO NCs. Additionally, an inventive method of extracting Cango red dye from water was demonstrated. The degradation process followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, with a rate constant (k) of 0.041687 min⁻¹. Additionally, P. guajava-mediated NCs demonstrated good antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, including Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The nanocomposite demonstrated a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on the tested cells.