Application of Fe2O3/CeO2 nanocomposites for the purification of aqueous media

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a study of the applicability of Fe2O3/CeO2 nanoparticles for purification of aqueous media from manganese ions, by its absorption on the surface of nanoparticles, with further removal from the aqueous medium by magnetic separation. According to the data obtained, the structures under study are a mixture of two phases: the rhombohedral phase Fe2O3, which is characteristic of the hematite structure, and the hexagonal phase CeO2 with a phase ratio of 1:2. During corrosion tests, it was found that acid solutions with pH = 1 and 0.1% HCl, which varies from 0.0004 to 0.0007 nm/day, have the highest degradation rate and a decrease in the degree of ordering of the crystal structure of nanoparticles. Moreover, in the case of corrosion tests in PBS solutions, the degradation rate was 0.0002 nm/day. According to the data obtained, it was found that the absorption of manganese ions on the surface of nanoparticles leads to the formation of highly disordered or amorphous-like inclusions. In this case, an increase in the residence time in the medium leads to partial degradation of the nanoparticles, which leads to a decrease in the degree of purification.