Abstract

The advanced engineering of smart nanomaterials has emerged as a promising approach to address critical challenges in environmental and medicinal applications. In this study, we present the design and synthesized multivariate ZnWO4/CoWO4/g-C3N4 nanocomposites using a straightforward simple one-step wet impregnation process, significantly boosting their performance in various photocatalytic and antibacterial applications. The synergistic combination of ZnWO4 and CoWO4 nanoparticles were anchored onto multiple active sites on the surface of g-C3N4 nanosheets. When compared to pristine g-C3N4 nanosheet, ZnWO4, CoWO4, and the binary ZnWO4/CoWO4 nanocomposite, the ternary ZnWO4/CoWO4/g-C3N4 nanocomposite exhibits superior antibacterial and photodegradation activity of methylene blue (MB) dye under visible light irradiation. The optimal ternary ZnWO4/CoWO4/g-C3N4 nanocomposite demonstrates a degradation efficiency of 94.6 % after 120 min, additionally, the common bacterial pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus (+Ve) and Escherichia coli (-Ve), were also tested. From mechanistic insights, the charge migration pathway, radical quenching study, stability and reusability analysis were observed in ternary ZnWO4/CoWO4/g-C3N4 nanocomposites. The significant participation of hydroxyl (*OH-) radicals during the photocatalytic MB degradation was verified by reactive oxygen species trapping experiments. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity was observed with the individual extracts and when they were used in lower to higher concentrations with ineffective antibiotics. The enhanced photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial properties of ternary ZnWO4/CoWO4/g-C3N4 nanocomposites can be attributed to the synergistic effects of strong charge migration and remarkable stability properties. Further research has shown that the synergistic role of ZnWO4/CoWO4/g-C3N4 nanocomposites significantly enhances their environmental and biological properties.