Investigation on the role of pH for the structural, optical and magnetic properties of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles and its effect on the photo-fenton activity

Abstract

Inverse spinel cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticle has ensnared colossal consideration owing to its implausible and incredible properties, predominantly its optical and magnetic properties. These enhanced properties make CoFe2O4 a fitting candidate in the waste water treatment. A facile and economically viable low temperature co-precipitation route was used to synthesize CoFe2O4 nanoparticles, the samples were synthesized at different pH conditions ranging from 9 to 12. The structural and crystallite size of the synthesized sample was characterized by Powder X-Ray Diffraction and found that on raising the pH crystallite size and lattice constant decreases. In Fourier Transform Infrared spectrum two absorption bands were observed at 500 (ν1) and 400 cm-1(ν2). Using High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy the particle size was found to be varying from that of XRD calculated crystallite size, the pH variation had no noticeable sway on the morphology, but it has significant influence on the particle size. By UV-visible and Photoluminescence studies reveals the significant optical properties and their bandgap was calculated using Kubelka-Munk plot, bandgap was found to be decreasing on raising the pH. The synthesized cobalt ferrite nanocatalyst was premeditated for its photo-degradation application of Methylene blue (MB) dye, which is a very important organic dye used in textile industries and the results point out that the catalyst can be reused without any significant loss, which makes it an competent candid in industries for distillation of water.