Green Synthesis of CoFe2O4 and Investigation of its Catalytic Efficiency for Degradation of Dyes in Aqueous Medium

Abstract

Abstract The catalytic wet oxidation is one the methods used for elimination of dyes from aqueous medium in which various metal based materials can be used as heterogeneous catalysts. Bimetallic oxides as heterogeneous catalysts have gained much attention as bimetallization improve the catalytic properties of the resulting particles. The biosynthetic green method is the most viable and simple method for synthesis of bimetallic oxides nanoparticles. Here, we report the green synthesis of CoFe2O4 particles using Azadirachata indica leaves extract as reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized particles were characterized using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The synthesized CoFe2O4 particles were tested as a catalyst for mineralization of rhodamine B and methylene blue dyes in the presence of hydrogen peroxide in aqueous media. More than 95% dyes degraded in 120 min. The reaction kinetics was described in terms of Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism which suggests that molecules of dye and hydrogen peroxide adsorbed surface of CoFe2O4 and then react together.