A sustainable pathway for the photodegradation of Rhodamine B dye using Mn-doped CaFe2O4 anchored on citrus fruit peel-derived biochar matrix.

[Display omitted] • Mn@CaFe 2 O 4 anchored on citrus fruit peel-derived biochar was fabricated using the hydrothermal method. • The fabricated photocatalyst can remove 97.31 % of RhB dye within 70 min of solar light irradiation. • Mechanistic pathway of photodegradation process is elucidated, including identification of key reactive species. • Fabricated photocatalyst showed enhanced photodegradation ability of RhB compared to reported photocatalysts. This report details the synthesis of Mn-doped CaFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles supported on biochar. We evaluate the photocatalytic activity of the resulting nanocomposite towards the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye, a well-known environmental pollutant. Doping CaFe 2 O 4 with Mn and subsequently incorporating it onto biochar results in enhanced visible light absorption and diminished photoluminescence (PL) intensity. The photocatalyst Mn-doped CaFe 2 O 4 /Biochar was synthesized via a hydrothermal method. The morphology and photocatalytic characteristics of the synthesized catalyst were comprehensively scrutinized through powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), and photoluminescence (PL) investigations. The photocatalytic properties of the catalyst were further assessed through the degradation of RhB dye, revealing a degradation efficiency of 97.31% within a 70-minute timeframe. The photocatalyst exhibits reusability for up to five cycles while maintaining a photocatalytic efficiency of more than 80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]