Abstract
In this research, structural, magnetic properties and photocatalytic activity of cobalt ferrite spinel (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles were studied. The samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV-visible diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) analysis. The XRD analysis revealed the formation of the single-phase CoFe2O4 with a cubic structure that is annealed at 500–700 °C in 3 h. The optical band gap energy for CoFe2O4 was determined to be in the range of 1.57–2.03 eV. The effect on the magnetic properties of cobalt ferrites was analyzed by using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The particle size and the saturation magnetization of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles increased with increasing annealing temperature. The photocatalytic activity of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles was investigated by using rhodamine B dye under visible light. The decomposition of rhodamine B reached 90.6% after 270 min lighting with the presence of H2O2 and CF500 sample.
Highlights
Among many ferrites, cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles are attracting much attention because of their high coercivity, magnetocrystalline anisotropy, moderate saturation magnetization, chemical stability, wear resistance, electrical insulation, and structure [1]
The obtained powder product was calcined at four different temperatures ranging from 500 to 800 ◦ C for 3 h with a heat rate of 5 ◦ C min−1, and the subsequent products were labeled as CF500, CF600, CF700, and CF800 respectively
CoFe2 O4 spinel nanoparticles were successfully synthesized via solution combustion method using urea as a fuel
Summary
Cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles are attracting much attention because of their high coercivity, magnetocrystalline anisotropy, moderate saturation magnetization, chemical stability, wear resistance, electrical insulation, and structure [1]. In the inverse spinel of the ferrite, tetrahedral sites are generally occupied by Fe3+ ions, whereas octahedral sites (B-sites) are inhabited by Co2+ and Fe3+ ions [2]. To alter structure and magnetic properties of ferrite nanoparticles, it is necessary to modify their composition and microstructures via different preparation routes [2]. CoFe2 O4 nanoparticles were previously prepared by a wide array of synthesis routines, such as Processes 2019, 7, 885; doi:10.3390/pr7120885 www.mdpi.com/journal/processes. It was found that the annealed temperature played a key role in determining the structure and properties of the obtained product. Photocatalytic oxidation of various dyes using ferrites has drawn a great deal of attention, opening new trends in the environmental remediation [14,15,16]
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