Synthesis of magnetic CuFe2O4/Fe2O3 core-shell materials and their application in photo-Fenton-like process with oxalic acid as a radical-producing source

• Published in: Journal of Asian Ceramic Societies 2021-07, Vol.9 (3), p.1091-1102
• Main Authors: Tran Thi, Thu Uyen, Phan, Van Hung, Pham Nguyen, Huu Thinh, Nguyen, The Luan, Vu, An Nang, Le, Tien Khoa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: cufe; cufe2o4; fe2o3; magnetic core-shell materials; oxalic acid; Photo-Fenton-like catalyst
• ISSN: 2187-0764
• DOI: 10.1080/21870764.2021.1939241

In this work, we proposed to synthesize CuFe 2 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 core-shell materials with different Fe 2 O 3 contents in order to create new and efficient photo-Fenton-like catalysts for the degradation of methylene blue with oxalic acid as a radical-producing source. The catalysts were prepared through two stages: first, CuFe 2 O 4 was prepared by a hydroxide coprecipitation - annealing method and then, Fe 2 O 3 was immobilized on CuFe 2 O 4 surface by a simple impregnation - annealing procedure. According to the experimental results, our CuFe 2 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 core-shell materials exhibit high photo-Fenton-like catalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue under both UVA light and visible light, as well as good ferromagnetic properties, which allows them to be easily separated from the solution by a magnet. Among them, the catalyst prepared with the molar CuFe 2 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 ratio of 1:2 showed the best catalytic performance with the rate constant of 2.103 h -1 under UVA light and 0.542 h -1 under visible light, which were 2 times higher than CuFe 2 O 4 sample. The enhanced catalytic activities of our core-shell materials can be attributed to the high content of surface Fe 3+ species, high specific surface area and the presence of rod-like Fe 2 O 3 particles on their surface.