Magnetically separable Cu-Fe nanophotocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic performance under visible-light irradiation: Optimizing the fuel type and heating approach in the synthesis process

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the influence of fuel type and heating technique on the solution one-step solution combustion synthesis of CuFe2O4 spinel-type photocatalysts. The primary goal was to establish the best configuration of nanophotocatalysts with desirable characteristics, leading to improved photodegradation of dye pollutants when exposed to simulated solar radiation. Cu-spinel nanophotocatalysts were generated using a one-step combustion method involving three distinct fuels (urea, glycine, and citric acid) and two heating strategies (microwave and muffle furnace). The synthesized nanophotocatalysts were characterized through a range of tests, including XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET-BJH, FTIR, VSM, PL, DRS, and pHpzc analyses. During the simulated irradiation of sunlight, the efficacy of the Cu-spinel photocatalyst was evaluated using high-concentration Congo red, a widely used textile dye. Test results indicate that the Cu-spinel nanophotocatalyst formed utilizing glycine and microwave combustion displayed a desirable photocatalytic activity by degradation of 97 % of Congo red in 100 min. In addition, the photocatalytic efficiency of Congo red degradation was significantly enhanced compared to the other fuels and the conventional heating approach. Furthermore, CuFe(G-MW) demonstrated high stability throughout four cycles. Finally, a proposed mechanism for the degradation of Congo red using a CuFe(G-MW) nanophotocatalyst was presented.