Catalytic adsorptive removal of toxic compounds from water using motifs of Ce doped Co3O4/RGO nanohybrids

Abstract

Physical aspects of bimetallic transition metal oxides are sensitive to morphology, type and composition of dopant metal cations and cation distribution in the lattice of parent oxide. Here in this study, motifs are fabricated by a combination of rare earth (Ce3+) metal doping in the cobalt oxide and hybridization with Graphene oxide (GO) using metal organic frameworks (MOF). Pure spinel phase crystalline mesoporous nanohybrids fabricated as polyhedrons possess a large specific surface area of 487 m2g-1. They found highly efficient for degradation of nitrophenol (NP) and tetracycline (TC; an antibiotic) from water in the absence of external agents. Nanohybrid shows effective adsorption, as nitrophenol disintegrated while diffusing on the surface of RGO/Co2.5Ce0.5O4 hybrid and completely removed in 6 min from water. Role of Ce3+ ions and GO, both is evaluated on the degradation of NP and TC. Cation pairs (Co3+/Co2+) and (Ce3+/Ce4+) played critical role for enhanced removal of compounds.