Magnetic Photocatalyst Research Articles

Magnetite @ Zinc Cobalt Ferrite Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Magnetic Behavior, and Optical Properties

One of the main challenges is using an effective photocatalyst that responds to a broad range of visible light for hydrogen production during water splitting. Series types of photocatalysts based on magnetic ferrite nanostructure were fabricated via a two-step co-precipitation technique. Precisely, four types of magnetic structures: magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs), zinc cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (ZCFNPs), hybrid magnetite/zinc cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (MNPs @ ZCFNPs), and hybrid zinc cobalt ferrite/magnetite nanoparticles (ZCFNPs @ MNPs) were used to fabricate magnetic photocatalysts. The characterizations of the fabricated magnetic photocatalysts were investigated via TEM, zeta potential, XRD, VSM, and UV–VIS spectroscopy. ZCFNPs @ MNPs showed the smallest particle with size ≈11 nm. The magnetization value of ZCFNPs @ MNPs (59.3 emu/g) was improved compared to the MNPs (41.93 emu/g). The produced hydrogen levels via photocatalyst were 60, 10, 24, and 1.4 mmole min−1 g−1 for MNPs, ZCFNPs, MNPs @ ZCFNPs, and ZCFNPs @ MNPs, respectively, under visible light with magnetic force. MNPs displayed outstanding performance as magnetic photocatalysts for the water-splitting process.

Graphene oxide modified K, P co-doped g-C3N4 and CoFe2O4 composite for photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics

BackgroundThe utilization of photocatalysts for the removal of contaminants present in aquatic systems has attracted great interest due to their promising removal efficiencies. MethodsIn this work, phosphorus and potassium co-doped g-C3N4 (KPCN) was heterostructured with CoFe2O4 photocatalyst and modified with graphene oxide (GO) by using hydrothermal synthesis process (KPCN/GO/CoFe2O4). The formation of the KPCN/GO/CoFe2O4 nanocomposite was confirmed by different characterization techniques. The KPCN/GO/CoFe2O4 nanocomposite followed the S-scheme charge transferal route. The photocatalytic activity of KPCN/GO/CoFe2O4 composite was analysed for tetracycline (TC) and doxycycline (DOX) antibiotics removal using visible light. Significant findingsKPCN/GO/CoFe2O4 showed the highest photocatalytic activity compared to g-C3N4, KPCN, and KPCN/GO photocatalysts. KPCN/GO/CoFe2O4 photocatalyst showed 85% degradation for tetracycline antibiotics within 60 min and 99% degradation for doxycycline antibiotics within 60 min. The degradation efficiencies were improved with doping and further improved by adding GO and CoFe2O4. The light-harvesting was improved by doping, GO enhanced photocatalyst adsorption capabilities and heterojunction formation improved the ability to separate charges. Heterojunction with magnetic CoFe2O4 photocatalyst also improved the separation ability and reusability of KPCN/GO/CoFe2O4 photocatalyst.

Magnetically recyclable TiO2/MXene/MnFe2O4 photocatalyst for enhanced peroxymonosulphate-assisted photocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine and ibuprofen under simulated solar light

In this study, a novel TiO2/Ti3C2/MnFe2O4 magnetic photocatalyst with dual properties, enabling (i) improved photocatalytic degradation with PMS activation under simulated solar light and (ii) magnetic separation after the degradation process in an external magnetic field was developed and applied for the efficient photodegradation pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) frequently present in wastewater and surface waters worldwide. MXene was used as a Ti precursor for anatase/rutile synthesis and as a co-catalyst in the photodegradation process. Manganese ferrite with ferrimagnetic properties was coupled with the TiO2/Ti3C2 composite to facilitate the magnetic separation after the purification process in an external magnetic field. Moreover, MnFe2O4 was used for PMS activation, producing •SO4- radicals with a strong oxidation ability and higher redox potential of 2.5–3.1 V (vs. NHE) than •OH radicals with a standard oxidation–reduction potential of 2.8 V. The effect of the manganese ferrite content in the composite structure (5 wt% and 20 wt%) on the physicochemical properties and photocatalytic activity of the magnetic photocatalyst was investigated. Furthermore, the most photocatalytic active composite of TiO2/MXene/5%MnFe2O4 was used for peroxymonosulphate-assisted photocatalytic degradation of ibuprofen and carbamazepine. The effect of peroxymonosulphate concentration (0.0625 mM, 0.125 mM, and 0.25 mM) and the synergistic effect of PMS activation on photocatalytic degradation was studied. Based on the obtained results, it was found that TiO2/MXene/5%MnFe2O4/PMS process is an efficient advanced treatment technology for the oxidation of emerging contaminants that are not susceptible to biodegradation. Carbamazepine and ibuprofen were completely degraded within 20 min and 10 min of the PMS-assisted photodegradation process under simulated solar light. The trapping experiments confirmed that •SO4- and •O2- are the main oxidising species involved in the CBZ degradation, while •SO4- and h+ in the IBP degradation. Furthermore, introducing interfering ions of Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, and SO42– in the model seawater did not affect the removal efficiency of both pharmaceuticals. In terms of reusability, the performance of the TiO2/MXene/5%MnFe2O4/PMS photocatalyst was stable after four subsequent cycles of carbamazepine and ibuprofen degradation.

Efficient Visible-Light-Induced Photocatalytic Removal of Salicylic Acid Using Sulfur-Doped Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/SiO<sub>2</sub>/TiO<sub>2 </sub>Composite

This research has prepared Fe3O4/SiO2/TiO2-S composite materials as magnetic photocatalysts. Detailed characterization of the composite materials was undertaken using FTIR, XRD, TEM, VSM and DRUV. The photocatalytic activity of composite materials was conducted through salicylic acid degradation under visible light illumination. The result based on the infrared spectra and XRD diffractogram revealed the appearance of the characteristic peak of Fe3O4, SiO2, and S-TiO2. The sulfur doping causes an absorption edge shifts toward a higher wavelength. Fe3O4/SiO2/TiO2-S 3% composite material had the narrowest band gap energy of 2.77 eV and presented good photocatalytic activity with a percentage degradation of 91.6% under visible light during 60 minutes of illumination time. The composite exhibited recoverable efficiency due to its magnetic properties.

Synthesis of Magnetically Separable Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub>-Ag with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance under Visible Light for Degradation of Metanil Yellow

Synthesis of magnetic photocatalyst, Fe3O4/TiO2-Ag, with characterization and photoactivity examination have been investigated. The synthesis was initiated by preparation of Fe3O4 particles using coprecipitation method. The Fe3O4 particles were then coated with TiO2-Ag, weight ratios of concentrations Silver dopant were varied from 1 to 3, 5 and 7 wt%. The Fe3O4/TiO2-Ag was characterized by FTIR, XRD, TEM, SEM-EDX, DR UV-visible and VSM methods. The degradation of metanil yellow solution was performed under exposure to UV, visible light and dark condition at optimum condition. The Fe3O4 and anatase diffraction peaks were presence on the X-ray diffractogram. The Fe3O4/TiO2-Ag was responsive to visible light, according to DR UV-Vis spectra. The Fe3O4/TiO2-Ag band gap energy was 2.49, 2.30, 2.00, and 2.46 eV, respectively, with dopant concentrations of 1; 3; 5; and 7%. Metanil yellow solution can be photodegraded for 180 minutes at a pH of 2.3. The Fe3O4/TiO2-Ag has the highest ability to metanil yellow photodegradation with dopant concentration of 5% gave degradation yield of 82.18% and 72.53% under UV and visible irradiation, respectively. With K values of 0.52 g mg-1 min-1 under visible light and 0.5255 g mg-1 min-1 under UV light, the degradation kinetics of methanyl yellow dye followed Ho and McKay's kinetic model. The Fe3O4/TiO2-Ag material exhibited magnetic characteristics that could be applied under visible light and reused.

Efficient photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline using magnetic biochar derived by iron-rich sludge.

Industrial wastewater treatment processes produce a large quantity of iron-rich sludge due to the extensive utilization of iron salt reagent. Reuse of iron-rich sludge is an attractive route for excess sludge disposal and management. In this study, sludge-derived magnetic photocatalyst was prepared using industrial iron-rich sludge as raw materials for the first time. The photocatalytic degradation system constructed by the sludge-derived photocatalysts were evaluated using tetracycline (TC) as the target contaminant, achieving a high degradation rate of 98.3% within 5 h under optimal conditions. Major reactive oxygen species in the photocatalytic systems were investigated using radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results suggested that •OH and O2•- were activated by photogenerated electrons and holes, respectively. Moreover, bound persistent free radicals induced by quinone-like structure in sludge-derived biochar were the predominant factors affecting radical 1O2 formation under the light irradiation. The reactive oxygen species of •OH, O2•-, and 1O2 played main roles in the degradation of TC. The used magnetic biochar can be effectively separated and recovered in aqueous solutions by the magnetism. This method provides a new cost-effective strategy for antibiotics removal from aqueous solution.

TiO2-CoFe2O4 and TiO2-CuFe2O4 Composite Films: A New Approach to Synthesis, Characterization, and Optical and Photocatalytic Properties

Here, we report a new simple and fast method of cobalt and copper ferrites film fabrication on the Ti/TiO2 surface. The approach is based on the deposition of gelatin gel containing copper and cobalt nitrates on the surface of porous oxide-silicon coatings on titanium obtained by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) followed by two-stage annealing at 300 °C and 800 °C to yield ferrite films with good adhesion to PEO layer. The presence of Co/Cu ferrite phases was confirmed by EDX analysis, XRD, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. TiO2-CoFe2O4 and TiO2-CuFe2O4 composite films have excellent performance in the photocatalytic degradation of indigo carmine as a model dye at pH 3 under UV and visible irradiation. The suggested approach to obtain ferrite/TiO2 composite films is promising for the development of magnetic materials, sensors, catalysts, and photocatalysts for various applications.

Reductive Photodegradation of 4,4'-Isopropylidenebis(2,6-dibromophenol) on Fe3O4 Surface.

Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) are the water treatment techniques that are commonly used forthe decomposition of the non-biodegradable organic pollutants. However, some pollutants are electron deficient and thus resistant to attack by reactive oxygen species (e.g., polyhalogenated compounds) but they may be degraded under reductive conditions. Therefore, reductive methods are alternative or supplementary methods to the well-known oxidative degradation ones. In this paper, the degradation of 4,4'-isopropylidenebis(2,6-dibromophenol) (TBBPA, tetrabromobisphenol A) using two Fe3O4 magnetic photocatalyst (F1 and F2) is presented. The morphological, structural and surface properties of catalysts were studied. Their catalytic efficiency was evaluated based on reactions under reductive and oxidative conditions. Quantum chemical calculations were used to analyse early steps of degradation mechanism. The studied photocatalytic degradation reactions undergo pseudo-first order kinetics. The photocatalytic reduction process follows the Eley-Rideal mechanism rather than the commonly used Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. The study confirms that both magnetic photocatalyst are effective and assure reductive degradation of TBBPA.

Design and synthesis of high performance magnetically separable exfoliated g-C3N4/γ-Fe2O3/ZnO yolk-shell nanoparticles: a novel and eco-friendly photocatalyst toward removal of organic pollutants from water.

Herein, a new visible-light active exfoliated g-C3N4/γ-Fe2O3/ZnO yolk-shell nanoparticles (NPs) was synthesized as a magnetically separable photocatalyst. For an in-depth understanding of the magnetic photocatalyst's structural, morphological, and optical properties, the products were extensively characterized with FT-IR, XRD, TEM, HRTEM, FESEM, EDS, EDS-mapping, VSM, DRS, EIS, and photocurrent. The photocatalyst was then utilized to degrade Levofloxacin (LEVO) and Indigo Carmine (IC) by visible light at room temperature. The exfoliated g-C3N4/γ-Fe2O3/ZnO yolk-shell NPs photocatalyst revealed 80% and 95.6% degradation efficiency for Levofloxacin and Indigo Carmine within 25 and 15min, respectively. In addition, the optimal factors such as concentration, loading of photocatalyst, and pH were also assessed. Levofloxacin degradation mechanistic studies showed that electrons and holes significantly contribute to the photocatalytic process of photocatalyst degradation. In addition, after 5 times regeneration, exfoliated g-C3N4/γ-Fe2O3/ZnO yolk-shell NPs remained as an excellent magnetic photocatalyst for the eco-friendly degradation of Levofloxacin and Indigo Carmine (76% and 90%), respectively. The superior photocatalytic performance of exfoliated g-C3N4/γ-Fe2O3/ZnO yolk-shell nanoparticles (NPs) was mostly ascribed to the synergistic advantages of stronger visible light response, larger specific surface area, and the more effective separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers. Based on these results, the highly effective magnetic photocatalyst achieved better results than numerous studied catalysts in the literature. The degradation of Levofloxacin and Indigo Carmine under environmentally friendly conditions can be achieved using exfoliated g-C3N4/γ-Fe2O3/ZnO yolk-shell NPs (V) as an efficient and green photocatalyst. The magnetic photocatalyst was characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic methods, revealing a spherical shape and particle size of 23nm. Additionally, the magnetic photocatalyst could be separated from the reaction mixture by a magnet without significantly reducing its catalytic activity.

Investigating the Performance and Stability of Fe3O4/Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 Magnetic Photocatalysts for the Photodegradation of Sulfonamide Antibiotics under Visible Light Irradiation

In this study, an Fe3O4/Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 magnetic composite photocatalyst was synthesized for the visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of sulfonamide antibiotics, specifically sulfamerazine (SM1). Characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis), and the use of a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), were employed to analyze the fabricated samples. The composite exhibited efficient visible-light absorption and charge separation, with optimal photocatalytic performance achieved at a pH value of 9.0. The study reveals the importance of solution pH in the degradation process and the potential applicability of the composite for efficient magnetic separation and recycling in photocatalytic processes. The Fe3O4/Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 magnetic composite photocatalyst demonstrated exceptional stability and recyclability, maintaining a high degradation efficiency of over 87% after five consecutive cycles. An XRD analysis conducted after the cycling tests confirmed that the composite’s composition and chemical structure remained unchanged, further supporting its chemical stability. This investigation offers valuable insights into the photocatalytic degradation of sulfonamide antibiotics using magnetic composite photocatalysts and highlights the potential of the Fe3O4/Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 composite for practical applications in environmental remediation.

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction to C1–C5 hydrocarbons using K2Fe2O4/g-C3N4 as coupling photocatalyst

A particularly interesting and difficult research topic is converting inexpensive and abundant single-carbon (C1) molecules to high-value multicarbon (C2+) molecules, especially to improve selectivity and conversion efficiency. Photocatalytic reduction offers a green technique for activating C1 molecules and controllable C–C coupling under mild and environmentally friendly conditions. This study synthesizes K2Fe2O4/g-C3N4 as a magnetic ferrite-containing photocatalyst for the C–C coupling of CO2 in the absence of a sacrificial agent. The findings significantly advance the photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into C2+ compounds, particularly CnH2n+2, CnH2n, and CnH2n−2 (n = 1–5), which are crucial in the chemical and energy industries. The photocatalyst, which has a remarkable selectivity to hydrocarbons (52% CH4, 48% C2+), was optimized to achieve the optimum progressive selective conversion from CO2 to CH4 and finally to C2+ hydrocarbons. The optimized K2Fe2O4/g-C3N4 shows an optimal CO2 to CH4 conversion rate of 130.96 μmol/g/h, which is 6.27 and 8.60 times the reaction rate constant of K2Fe2O4 and g-C3N4 as catalysts, respectively. It is speculated that this study will help understand the activation of CO2 in photocatalytic reduction and the highly selective production of hydrocarbons via the C–C coupling reaction.

Fabrication of Magnetic Nanocomposite Photocatalysts Based on Coated Carbon Nanotube for Removing Toxic Dyes

Fabrication of Magnetic Nanocomposite Photocatalysts Based on Coated Carbon Nanotube for Removing Toxic Dyes

Magnetic photocatalysts based on graphene oxide: synthesis, characterization, application in advanced oxidation processes and response surface analysis

The decomposition rate of methyl orange (MO) is studied in aqueous solution of magnetic photocatalysts based on graphene oxide (GO). ZnO photocatalytic nanoparticles are synthesized with controlled amounts on magnetized graphene oxide and two photocatalytic samples including GFZ1 and GFZ2 are prepared for use in advanced oxidation process. The characterization of the synthesized photocatalysts is done by XRD, FTIR and VSM. The crystal structure of magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles as well as photocatalytic ZnO nanoparticles on the graphene oxide network has been confirmed by XRD analysis in both synthesized samples. FTIR analysis of both GFZ1 and GFZ2 also shows the stretching vibration of Fe–O and Zn–O bonds in Fe3O4 and ZnO, respectively. The superparamagnetic properties of both samples can be confirmed using VSM analysis. It is also observed that with the increase of ZnO nanoparticles in GFZ2, the magnetic properties decrease compared to GFZ1. The effect of irradiation time time (between 5 and 40 min), weight fraction of the synthesized photocatalysts (0.1%wt, 0.2%wt, and 0.3%wt) and pH of the suspension (3, 7, and 11) on the changes in MO decomposition rate was investigated and the response surface method (RSM) was used to study the effect of the simultaneous change of two parameters of the mentioned factors on the MO removal efficiency. The results show that with the increase of irradiation time and also the weight fraction of both photocatalysts, the decomposition rate of MO also increases significantly. So that in all time intervals and weight fractions, the photocatalytic activity of GFZ2 is much higher than that of GFZ1. The effect of pH also shows that the maximum and minimum decomposition rates occur in acidic and neutral conditions, respectively.

Eco-friendly fabrication of multifunctional magnetic plasmonic photocatalyst for adsorption, SERS monitoring and photodegradation of residual fluoroquinolone antibiotics in water

In this work, a kind of multifunctional magnetic plasmonic photocatalyst was prepared by a green and efficient process. Magnetic mesoporous anatase titanium dioxide (Fe3O4@mTiO2) was synthesized by microwave-assisted hydrothermal, and Ag NPs were simultaneously in-situ grown on Fe3O4@mTiO2 (Fe3O4@mTiO2@Ag), graphene oxide (GO) was then wrapped on Fe3O4@mTiO2@Ag (Fe3O4@mTiO2@Ag@GO) to increase its adsorption capacity for fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FQs). Owing to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Ag, as well as the photocatalytic capacity of TiO2, a multifunctional platform based on Fe3O4@mTiO2@Ag@GO was constructed for adsorption, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) monitoring and photodegradation of FQs in water. The quantitative SERS detection of norfloxacin (NOR), ciprofloxacin (CIP), and enrofloxacin (ENR) was demonstrated with LOD of 0.1 μg mL−1, and the qualitative analysis was confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The photocatalytic degradation rate of NOR over Fe3O4@mTiO2@Ag@GO was about 4.6 and 1.4 times faster than that of Fe3O4@mTiO2 and Fe3O4@mTiO2@Ag, indicating the synergetic effects of Ag NPs and GO, the used Fe3O4@mTiO2@Ag@GO can be easily recovered and recycled for at least 5 times. Thus, the eco-friendly magnetic plasmonic photocatalyst provided a potential solution for the removal and monitoring of residual FQs in environmental water.

Preparation of a new green magnetic Fe3O4 @TiO2-P25 photocatalyst for solar advanced oxidation processes in water

A novel green method has been investigated to obtain a magnetic recoverable photocatalyst. Fe3O4 particles formed in situ by aerial oxidative precipitation of aqueous Fe(II) in the presence of terephthalate were bonded to TiO2-P25 nanoparticles, giving rise to a coupled semiconductor heterostructure with superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature (Fe3O4 @TiO2-P25). The synthesis method is carried out in water at room temperature with almost full recovery and recycling of terephtalic acid. The prepared samples were fully characterized by XRD, TGA-DTA-MS, ATR-FTIR, WDXRF, TEM, SEM/EDX, N2 adsorption-desorption, elemental analysis, XPS, DRS, PL spectroscopy and SQUID. Photo-stability tests showed that Fe3O4 @TiO2-P25 does not undergo photodissolution under simulated solar radiation. The photocatalytic performance of Fe3O4 @TiO2-P25 was examined based on its ability to degrade aqueous metoprolol under UV–vis radiation in the presence of O2 and O3/O2. Also, the catalyst was successfully reused in six solar photocatalytic ozonation runs with negligible loss of photocatalytic activity.

Comparative influence of adsorption assisted magnetic mesoporous TiO2 photocatalyst for the removal of methylene blue and rhodamine B

Comparative influence of adsorption assisted magnetic mesoporous TiO2 photocatalyst for the removal of methylene blue and rhodamine B

Construction of diluted magnetic semiconductor to endow nonmagnetic semiconductor with spin-regulated photocatalytic performance

Electron spinning polarization has now attracted extensive attention due to its significant effect on improving catalysis. However, only a few photocatalysts possess the electron spinning modification property. How to endow nonmagnetic semiconductors with spintronic properties to realize spinning-regulated photocatalysis enhancement is a great challenge. Herein, based on the diluted magnetic semiconductor concept, we proposed a novel strategy to endow photocatalysts a spinning tunable property. In this work, a diluted magnetic semiconductor photocatalyst with spin polarization was constructed by only doping magnetic ions into CdS/MoS2. The spin polarization with a higher ferromagnetic property was detected in CdS and MoS2 of the Ni-doped CdS/MoS2 diluted magnetic semiconductor photocatalyst. The magnetic field-derived spin polarization reduced the charge recombination in CdS, and improved the interface transfer efficiency between CdS and MoS2, which resulted in a 3.89-fold improvement of the photocatalytic hydrogen production under an external magnetic field. This work provides a new strategy to endow nonmagnetic semiconductors with spin-regulated photocatalytic performance by constructing diluted magnetic semiconductor photocatalysts.

Synergistic Effects of Magnetic Z-Scheme g-C3N4/CoFe2O4 Nanofibres with Controllable Morphology on Photocatalytic Activity.

The rational design of interfacial contacts plays a decisive role in improving interfacial carrier transfer and separation in heterojunction photocatalysts. In Z-scheme photocatalysts, the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs is prevented so that the redox capacity is maintained. Here, one-dimensional graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)/CoFe2O4 fibres were synthesised as a new type of magnetic Z-scheme visible-light photocatalyst. Compared with pure g-C3N4 and CoFe2O4, the prepared composite photocatalysts showed considerably improved performance for the photooxidative degradation of tetracycline and methylene blue. In particular, the photodegradation efficiency of the g-C3N4/CoFe2O4 fibres for methylene blue was approximately two and seven times those of g-C3N4 and CoFe2O4, respectively. The formation mechanism of the Z-scheme heterojunctions in the g-C3N4/CoFe2O4 fibres was investigated using photocurrent spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. We proposed that one of the reasons for the improved photodegradation performance is that the charge transport path in one-dimensional materials enables efficient photoelectron and hole transfer. Furthermore, the internal electric field of the prepared Z-scheme photocatalyst enhanced visible-light absorption, which provided a barrier for photoelectron-hole pair recombination.

Exfoliated graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets for visible light photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B - Investigation on exfoliation method

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets, as a high-efficiency photocatalyst, were successfully prepared by four different environment-friendly chemical and thermal methods for investigating the effect of the preparation method. The resulting exfoliated samples were characterized by techniques such as SEM, FT-IR, and XRD. It identified the GN1 and GN2 samples were better layered and their exfoliation methods were more effective than the other methods. Then to enhance performance and overcome the recovery problem, the best two prepared photocatalysts were doped with 10% Fe3O4. The magnetic photocatalysts were investigated and compared for rhodamine B (RhB) degradation as a common resistant dye. The dye-removing analysis before and after magnetic nanomaterial doping confirmed that the resist and recoverable magnetic photocatalyst could remove 93.5% of RhB in 60 min under light irradiation and 4 times recycling with minimum efficiency loss.

Recent advances in spinel ferrite-based magnetic photocatalysts for efficient degradation of organic pollutants.

Although spinel ferrite (MFe2O4, M = Zn, Ni, Mn, etc.) has been reported as a promising catalyst, its low photocatalytic activity under visible light greatly restricts its practical application. Spinel ferrite-based photocatalytic composites have exhibited improved efficiency for pollutant degradation, due to interface charge carrier mobility and structural modification. Meanwhile, due to its magnetism and stability, spinel ferrite composite can be easily recycled for long-term utilization, showing its high application potential. In this review, the recent advances in the construction and photocatalytic degradation of spinel ferrite composites are discussed, with an emphasis on the relationship between structural property and photocatalytic activity. In addition, to improve their photocatalytic application, the challenges, gaps and future research prospects are proposed.