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In the quest for sustainable strategies for environmental remediation and wastewater treatment, composite material-based visible light-responsive photocatalysis has emerged as a highly efficient method that is not only facile but also economical. Herein, we have synthesized pure (NiCo 2 O 4) and Nd-doped (Nd-NiCo 2 O 4) nickel cobaltite nanoparticles and incorporated doped material on 2D MXene to fabricate nanocomposite (Nd-NiCo 2 O 4 /MXene). The prepared samples were characterized to exploit the effect of Nd-doping and composite formation on structural, electrical, and optical properties. The photocatalytic potential of composite material was investigated by targeting malachite green and pendimethalin. In comparison to pure and doped materials, the nanocomposite demonstrated superior photocatalytic efficiency for the degradation of targeted pollutants. This enhanced catalytic activity is attributed to the synergism of rare earth metal doping and composite formation which result in enhanced absorption in visible light and lower coupling of charge carriers. Systematic studies revealed the promising potential of the Nd-NiCo 2 O 4 /MXene nanocomposite for solar light harvesting in wastewater remediation applications. • Nd-NiCo 2 O 4 /MXene nanocomposite photocatalyst has been fabricated. • Doping and composite formation enhanced charge separation and visible light absorption. • The photocatalytic potential was investigated by degrading malachite green and pendimethalin. • The degradation of targeted organic pollutants follows first-order kinetics. • Excellent reusability of the catalyst up to the 5th cycle ensured its sustainability and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, people over the world face severe water scarcity despite the presence of several water sources. Adsorption is considered as the most efficient technique for the treatment of water containing biological, organic, and inorganic contaminants. For this purpose, materials from various origins (clay minerals, modified clays, zeolites, activated carbon, polymeric resins, etc.) have been considered as adsorbent for contaminants. Despite their cheapness and valuable properties, the use of clay minerals as adsorbent for wastewater treatment is limited due to many factors (low surface area, regeneration, and recovery limit, etc.). However, clay mineral can be used to enhance the performance of polymeric materials. The combination of clay minerals and polymers produces clay-polymers nanocomposites (CPNs) with advanced properties useful for pollutants removal. CPNs received a lot of attention for their efficient removal rate of various organic and inorganic contaminants via flocculation and adsorption ability. Three main classes of CPNs were developed (exfoliated nanocomposites (NCs), intercalated nanocomposites, and phase-separated microcomposites). The improved materials can be explored as novel and cost-effective adsorbents for the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants from water/wastewater. The literature reported the ability of CPNs to remove various pollutants such as bacteria, metals, phenol, tannic acid, pesticides, dyes, etc. CPNs showed higher adsorption capacity and efficient water treatment compared to the individual components. Moreover, CPNs offered better regeneration than clay materials. The present paper summarizes the different types of clay-polymers nanocomposites and their effective removal of different contaminants from water. Based on various criteria, CPNs future as promising adsorbent for water treatment is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]