Functionalization of Fe3O4/TiO2/BiOCl nanocomposites using Sargassum crassifolium extract as magnetic nanophotocatalyst for cadmium sequestration

Abstract

We report on the synthesis of Fe3O4/TiO2/BiOCl nanocomposites using Sargassum crassifolium extract as magnetic nanophotocatalyst for cadmium sequestration. Utilization of nanotechnology via surface engineering and functionalization has been considered for heavy metals sequestration. In this work, we are going to synthesize Fe3O4/TiO2/BiOCl nanocomposites via green synthesis for cadmium heavy metal sequestration on wastewater. Synthesis of nanocomposites includes the fabrication of functionalized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles using Sargassum crassifolium extract followed by the fabrication of TiO2 and finally capped with BiOCl to complete the Fe3O4/TiO2/BiOCl nanocomposites. Experimental results revealed that successful green synthesis of magnetic Fe3O4 via was observed in the Fast Fourier transform infrared spectra with the presence of Fe-O vibrations at 580 cm−1. In addition, the band around 1000 cm−1 was observed suggesting the TiO2 was successfully formed the peak around 1155 cm−1 can be attributed to Bi-Cl bond for the formation of BiOCl. Moreover, the presence of 370 nm peak in the ultraviolet-visible spectra suggests that Fe3O4/TiO2/BiOCl nanocomposites were successfully synthesized. Varied amount of cadmium on wastewater was efficiently sequestered via photocatalysis with an efficiency of about 83%. This straight forward green synthesis of Fe3O4/TiO2/BiOCl nanocomposites is a potential photocatalysts for cadmium sequestration.