Novel Amapá latex-mediated synthesis of defective α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with enhanced ferromagnetism and sunlight photocatalytic activity

Abstract

Iron oxide (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles were synthesized using the latex of the Parahancornia amapa tree (Amapá latex) as an ecofriendly chelating agent. Raman, XRD, and Rietveld refinements analysis confirmed that all samples are single-phase with crystallite size in the range of 64–93 nm. SEM images showed that the volume of Amapá-latex used for synthesis plays an important role in forming nanoparticles with different morphologies and particle sizes of about 65–110 nm. PL spectra revealed the presence of ligand-to-metal charge-transfer transition (wide emission band positioned at ∼ 400 nm) and coexistence of both Oi and VO defects in the α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The highest remanent magnetization (∼0.09 μB/f.u.) and decolorization (94%) of MB dye were majority driven by the Oi and VO structural defects. A 33% TOC removal around 1h of the degradation process, which further increased to 70% after 6h, confirmed that MB molecules were cleaved and broken. These findings reveal that α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles synthesized by our Amapá latex-mediated route proved to be efficient for the obtention of α-Fe2O3 nanostructures with the potential to be used for the affordable treatment of dye-contaminated wastewater.