Visible Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue and Malachite Green Dyes with BaWO4-Go Nano Composite

A facile solid state metathesis synthesis of barium tungstate (BaWO4) followed by ball milling and subsequent preparation of barium tungstate-graphene oxide (BaWO4–GO) nano composite using a colloidal blending process and its application as a visible light photocatalyst for the degradation of Malachite green and Methylene blue dyes. The morphology and composition of barium tungstate (BaWO4) nano composite have been characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), UV–Visible Diffuse Reflectance Spectra (UV-DRS), Raman Spectra, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) – EDAX and UV Visible Spectroscopy. This composite material is found to be a wide band gap semiconductor with band gap of 4.3 eV. The sample shows poor transmittance in ultraviolet region while it has maximum transmittance in visible-near infrared regions. It shows an increase in range and intensity of light absorption and the reduction of electron–hole pair recombination in BaWO4 with the introducing of GO on to it.