Influence of CuO nanoparticles and nanographene platelets on the photosonocatalytic performance of Fe3O4/TiO2 nanocomposites

Abstract

The effect of adding CuO nanoparticles and Nanographene Platelets (NGP) on Fe3O4/TiO2 nanocomposites to degrade dye waste were examined using photosonocatalytic process. Both nanocomposites Fe3O4/TiO2 with and without the addition of CuO were synthesized using sol-gel method, while the co-precipitation method was used to synthesize those two nanocomposites with NGP. All the samples were analyzed to identify their crystalline phase, magnetic property and thermal stability using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) measurements. The photosonocatalytic process of all samples were observed using the ultraviolet and ultrasonic radiation at the same time with the Methylene Blue (MB) as the model of dye waste. The results indicate that the presence of CuO nanoparticles and NGP on Fe3O4/TiO2 nanocomposites could increase its capacibility to degrade MB. Achievement of degradation up to 100% for a time of 2 hours is obtained by the presence of CuO nanoparticles and NGP simultaneously on Fe3O4/TiO2 nanocomposites.