Facile Synthesis of CuFe2O4 Nanoparticles for Efficient Removal of Acid Blue 113 and Malachite Green Dyes from Aqueous Media

Abstract

This work studies the synthesis, characterization, and application of CuFe2O4 nanoparticles for the removal of acid blue 113 and malachite green dyes from aqueous media. Utilizing the combustion procedure, CuFe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized using two different fuels: L-alanine (CFA) and L-valine (CFV). Besides, the synthesized CuFe2O4 nanoparticles were characterized through some tools, including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). XRD analysis verified the creation of a CuFe2O4 cubic spinel structure without any contaminants, revealing average crystallite sizes of 26.37 and 17.65 nm for the CFA and CFV samples, respectively. The FTIR spectra exhibited peaks indicative of metal-oxygen bond stretching, verifying the presence of a spinel formation. Elemental analysis via EDX confirmed the stoichiometric composition typical of copper ferrite. In addition, FE-SEM displayed that the CFA and CFV samples are composed of particles with spherical and irregular shapes, measuring average diameters of 188.35 and 132.78 nm, respectively. The maximum adsorption capabilities of the CFA and CFV samples towards acid blue 113 dyes are 281.69 and 297.62 mg/g, respectively. Also, the maximum adsorption capabilities of the CFA and CFV products towards malachite green dye are 280.11 and 294.99 mg/g, respectively. Kinetic and equilibrium studies revealed that the adsorption process of acid blue 113 and malachite green dyes onto the CFA and CFV samples followed the pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm. Thermodynamic analysis indicated that the adsorption process was physical, spontaneous, and exothermic.