Spinel CoFe₂O₄ Nanoflakes: A Path to Enhance Energy Generation and Environmental Remediation Potential of Waste-Derived rGO

Carbon nanomaterials derived from agricultural waste streams present an exciting material platform that hits multiple sustainability targets by reducing waste entering landfill, and enabling clean energy and environmental remediation technologies. In this work, the energy and photocatalytic properties of reduced graphene oxide fabricated from coconut coir using a simple reduction method using ferrocene are substantially improved by introducing metallic oxides flakes. A series of cobalt ferrite rGO/CoFe₂O₄ nanocomposites were assembled using a simple soft bubble self-templating assembly, and their potential for clean energy applications confirmed. The transmission electron microscopy images revealed the uniform dispersion of the metal oxide on the rGO sheets. The functional group of the as synthesized metal oxide and the rGO nanocomposites, and its individual constituents, were identified through the FTIR and XPS studies, respectively. The composite materials showed higher specific capacitance then the pure materials, with rGO spinal metal oxide nanocomposites showing maximum specific capacitance of 396 F/g at 1 A/g. Furthermore, the hybrid super capacitor exhibits the excellent cyclic stability 2000 cycles with 95.6% retention. The photocatalytic properties of the synthesized rGO nanocomposites were analyzed with the help of malachite green dye. For pure metal oxide, the degradation rate was only around 65% within 120 min, while for rGO metal oxide nanocomposites, more than 80% of MG were degraded.