Multifunctional copper sulfide urchin‐like nanostructures for adsorption and photocatalysis of water contaminants

Abstract We reported here a one‐step chemical route to prepare nanocomposites comprising CuS nanophases supported on GO sheets with magnetic properties. The synthesis reported here combines such materials in single‐nanostructures that show morphological features well‐suited for wastewater treatment. The photocatalytic performance of CuS/GO nanocomposites was first investigated towards the removal of a common organic dye (rhodamine B) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), which is an antibiotic considered a water contaminant of emerging concern. The RhB and SMX adsorption efficiency of CuS/GO and Fe 3 O 4 /GO/CuS hybrids, as well as of CuS particles, was significantly higher than GO or Fe 3 O 4 /GO. Overall, the CuS‐based magnetic and CuS/GO hybrids have shown the capacity to uptake more than 80 % of RhB or SMX, after 120 minutes. Under blue‐led irradiation, almost complete degradation of RhB was achieved in the presence of CuS/Fe 3 O 4 /GO, after 180 minutes; and higher than 85 % degradation of SMX, after 240 minutes of irradiation. The photocatalytic behaviour of nanocomposites was best described by the first–order kinetic model, for which k values for degradation of RhB and SMX followed the order: CuS/Fe 3 O 4 /GO>CuS/GO>CuS. The tricomponent CuS/Fe 3 O 4 /GO can be easily recovered after use and be reused maintain their high photocatalytic performance, thus providing a sustainable and cost‐effective hybrid solution for water treatment.