Vol.:(0123456789)Discover Materials (2025) 5:83 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s43939-025-00266-y Discover Materials Research A study of the photocatalytic and photothermal properties of the quaternary rGO/TiO2/NiFe2O4/ZnO nanocomposite for water treatment Ahmad Faiq Amin1 · Mahmood Rezaee Roknabadi1 · Mohammad Behdani1 · Mohammad Ranjbar1 Received: 16 December 2024 / Accepted: 9 May 2025 © The Author(s) 2025 OPEN Abstract This study presents the synthesis and evaluation of a novel rGO/TiO2/NiFe2O4/ZnO nanocomposite for efficient solar steam generation (DSSG) and photocatalytic water purification. The nanocomposite, synthesized via a hydrothermal method, demonstrates exceptional photothermal performance, achieving a maximum evaporation rate of 3.53 kg m −2 h −1 and an evaporation efficiency of 89% under 3 sun illumination. The incorporation of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) facilitated effective heat localization at the water/air interface, minimizing heat loss to the bulk water, as confirmed by infrared imaging and temperature sensor data. Furthermore, the nanocomposite exhibited significant photocatalytic activity, effectively degrading methylene blue with a degradation efficiency of 97%. Water quality analysis confirmed the production of clean and drinkable water. The nanocomposite demonstrated excellent reusability and stability across multiple cycles. This cost-effective and efficient material holds significant potential for sustainable water purification and solar steam generation applications. Keywords Clean water production · Interfacial evaporation · Photothermal material · Photocatalytic · Photoabsorber 1 Introduction Water, which covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface, gives our planet its characteristic blue appearance from space. However, this apparent abundance masks a critical scarcity of potable water. The vast majority of Earth’s water is saline and unsuitable for consumption, and the compounding effects of climate change, population growth, and increasing pollution have intensified this problem in recent decades, leading to severe water shortages globally. Many regions, particularly in Africa and parts of Asia, lack access to clean water. A United Nations World Water Development Report [1] projects that by 2050, 748 million people will face drinking water scarcity. The vast quantities of water in oceans, seas, and rivers are largely unusable for direct consumption due to salinity levels. Desalination and wastewater treatment offer potential solutions to mitigate these shortages and avert a global crisis. Techniques such as reverse osmosis [2–4], electrocoagulation [5], membrane filtration [6, 7], thermal-based methods [8, 9], and hybrid thermal-membrane processes like membrane distillation [10, 11] have been developed for this purpose. However, these methods often suffer from limitations, including low efficiency, high costs, reliance on non-renewable energy sources, operational complexity, and the emission of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide [9, 12, 13].

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