Green Synthesis and Characterization of Moringa Extract Fe-TiO2 Nanocomposites for Efficient Photodegradation of Methylene Blue from Wastewater

In this study, iron-doped titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocomposites were synthesized using Moringa oleifera leaf extract via a green two-step sol-gel method, aiming to enhance photocatalytic degradation performance under sunlight. The Moringa-mediated synthesis provided an eco-friendly and cost-effective route for obtaining Fe-doped TiO2 nanomaterials (MFTNc) with improved structural and optical characteristics. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the anatase phase and revealed a reduction in crystallite size with increasing Fe content, while FTIR analysis validated the presence of key functional groups and Fe–O–Ti bonding. UV–Vis spectroscopy demonstrated a significant redshift in absorption and narrowing of the band gap from 3.21 eV (pure TiO2) to 2.98 eV (0.9% Fe-doped TiO2), enabling visible light activation. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under solar irradiation. The 0.9% Fe-doped TiO2 sample exhibited the highest degradation efficiency (22.5%), significantly outperforming pure TiO2 (9.25%) due to enhanced charge carrier separation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. These results highlight the potential of MFTNc as a sustainable and efficient photocatalyst for environmental remediation applications.