Synthesis and characterization of novel magnetic nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of indigo carmine dye

Abstract

A successful photo degradation of indigo carmine dye was carried out on magnetic SnO2 nanoparticles synthesized by control sol–gel route using triton-x100 as structure and pore directing agent. CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were successfully incorporated with high precision SnO2 surface through sonochemical route. The physicochemical characteristics and properties of the nanoparticles that were prepared were investigated by [DRS] diffuse reflectance spectra, [FESEM] field emission scanning electron microscope, photoluminescence, energy dispersive X-ray [EDX] and [XRD] X-ray diffraction. Various proportions of CoFe2O4 as promising magnetite were incorporated on the surface of tin oxide by ultrasonic route for shifting the photo-catalytic response to visible region and facilitating the collection of the solid catalyst after the degradation process. The results showed that the band gap energy calculated for SnO2 and COFe2O4/SnO2 are 3.32 and 2.88 eV, respectively confirming the positive role of the magnetic nanoparticles in this shift. The research obtained that the crystalline size calculated by the Scherrer's equation is about 43 and 13 nm for bare SnO2 and COFe2O4/SnO2 nanoparticles. Besides, the EDX test showed the presence of constituents of cobalt (CO), oxygen (O), ferric oxide (Fe2O3), tin (Sn) and small negligible traces of chlorine (Cl) in the prepared nanoparticle. The photocatalytic reactivity reaches 55% on SnO2 surface. However, incorporation of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles enhance the magnetic properties of the photo catalyst on the expense of the removal efficiency. The results indicate that the magnetic nanoparticles with sphere-like structure can be a good candidate for removal of IC dye from wastewater.