LAUSR

Reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) sheets decorated with magnetite (Fe3O4) nanorods were synthesized through wet chemical method at room temperature. X-ray diffraction spectrum of Fe3O4/r-GO nano-composite shows r-GO peak along with few characteristic peaks of magnetite nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the transformation of Fe3O4 pseudo-spherical morphology into rod shaped over r-GO sheets due to surface to surface interactions and strong alkaline media as dense coverage. UV–vis diffused reflectance spectra of Fe3O4/r-GO composite shows that absorption edge has been shifted towards the higher wavelength because of the presence of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and the partial restoration of pi network upon reduction of GO. The vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) of various Fe3O4/r-GO composites distinctively represent S-shaped magnetization curves with no coercitivity that supports their super-paramagnetic behavior. Moreover, the hybrid nanostructure Fe3O4/r-GO shows significantly enhanced visible photo catalytic activity for MO degradation due to high surface area of two-dimensional (2D) r-GO sheets and one dimensional (1D) nanostructure of magnetite nanorods that reduces the electron-hole (e−-h+) pair recombination through long distance fast electron transport.