Rare earth-incorporated cobalt ferrite anchored on reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites with enhanced peroxydisulfate photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A in aqueous solution

Rare earth-incorporated cobalt ferrite anchored on reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites with enhanced peroxydisulfate photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A in aqueous solution | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Rare earth-incorporated cobalt ferrite anchored on reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites with enhanced peroxydisulfate photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A in aqueous solution Cabangani Donga, Kholiswa. Yokwana, Luyanda. L. Noto, Nathaniel. T. Moja, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8564521/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 25 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In recent decades, emerging water contaminants have raised significant global concern due to their impact on water quality, driving the need for more effective treatment strategies. In this work, magnetically separable samarium-incorporated cobalt ferrite supported on reduced graphene oxide (SmCoFe₂O₄/rGO) nanocomposites were prepared using a dual co-precipitation–hydrothermal approach for the photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA). The synthesized samples were characterized using, FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, UV-DRS and BET adsorption–desorption measurements. The photocatalytic activity of SmCoFe 2 O 4 /rGO was increased under visible-light irradiation and in the presence of peroxydisulfate (PDS), with a maximum BPA removal efficiency of 99.4% within 120 min under optimal conditions ([BPA] = 20 mg/L, [SmCoFe 2 O 4 /rGO] = 25 mg, [PDS] = 1.5 mM, pH = 7.0). The interaction between rGO and Sm nanoparticles exhibited a synergistic effect and reduced electron–hole recombination rate, thereby facilitating charge transport, while CoFe 2 O 4 enabled recyclability due to its magnetic properties. Radical scavenger experiments were used to identify the formation of free radicals (SO 4 •− and • OH) as the main reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the PDS-assisted photodegradation processes. Furthermore, the SmCoFe 2 O 4 /rGO exhibited high stability after five consecutive cycles and maintained catalytic activity. Finally, SmCoFe 2 O 4 /rGO photocatalyst demonstrated promising potential for the purification of water/wastewater containing BPA. Photocatalytic degradation reduced graphene oxide water contaminants nanocomposites emerging pollutants band gap Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files SUPPLEMENTARYINFO.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 16 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 16 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 15 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 15 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 14 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Jan, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 12 Jan, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 11 Jan, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 11 Jan, 2026 First submitted to journal 09 Jan, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8564521","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":573867208,"identity":"ff88661f-b4d8-46c9-8a27-1216ec94c53c","order_by":0,"name":"Cabangani Donga","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA1UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDCCA2DShoGBmUQtaaRrOUy0egYGvuO9h1/8qDmfuJ2d/eEHhho7Bvn2A/i1SJ45l2bZc+x24s5mHmMJhmPJDIw9Cfi1GNzIMTPgbbiduOEwD4MEA9sBoJ+I0GL4t+EcUAv74x8M/w4wsPE/IKjF+DFvwwGgFgYzCca2Aww8EgRskTxzxoxZ5liyMdBhZhaJfck8EhIEbOE73mP88U2NneyG88cf3/jwzU5Ovp+ALUDAJgFnAhXzEFQPBMwfiFE1CkbBKBgFIxgAAJtERCWvKJXoAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"University of South Africa. 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solution","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"journal-of-inorganic-and-organometallic-polymers-and-materials","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"joip","sideBox":"Learn more about [Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials](https://www.springer.com/journal/10904)","snPcode":"10904","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10904/3","title":"Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Photocatalytic degradation, reduced graphene oxide, water contaminants, nanocomposites, emerging pollutants, band gap","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8564521/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8564521/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIn recent decades, emerging water contaminants have raised significant global concern due to their impact on water quality, driving the need for more effective treatment strategies. In this work, magnetically separable samarium-incorporated cobalt ferrite supported on reduced graphene oxide (SmCoFe₂O₄/rGO) nanocomposites were prepared using a dual co-precipitation–hydrothermal approach for the photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA). The synthesized samples were characterized using, FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, UV-DRS and BET adsorption–desorption measurements. The photocatalytic activity of SmCoFe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO was increased under visible-light irradiation and in the presence of peroxydisulfate (PDS), with a maximum BPA removal efficiency of 99.4% within 120 min under optimal conditions ([BPA] = 20 mg/L, [SmCoFe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO] = 25 mg, [PDS] = 1.5 mM, pH = 7.0). The interaction between rGO and Sm nanoparticles exhibited a synergistic effect and reduced electron–hole recombination rate, thereby facilitating charge transport, while CoFe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4 \u003c/sub\u003eenabled recyclability due to its magnetic properties. Radical scavenger experiments were used to identify the formation of free radicals (SO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e•−\u003c/sup\u003e and \u003csup\u003e•\u003c/sup\u003eOH) as the main reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the PDS-assisted photodegradation processes. Furthermore, the SmCoFe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO exhibited high stability after five consecutive cycles and maintained catalytic activity. Finally, SmCoFe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO photocatalyst demonstrated promising potential for the purification of water/wastewater containing BPA.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Rare earth-incorporated cobalt ferrite anchored on reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites with enhanced peroxydisulfate photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A in aqueous solution","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-14 16:05:53","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8564521/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision 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