Synthesis of γ-Fe2O3-CuO nanocomposite: structural and magnetic study and its application for degradation of toxic pollutants

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics 2022-10, Vol.33 (30), p.23761-23769
• Main Authors: Farahani, Abolfazl Tavakkolian, Goodarzi, Mojtaba, Hedayati, Kambiz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coercivity; Copper oxides; Crystallites; Degradation; Ferric oxide; Ferromagnetism; Light irradiation; Magnetometers; Materials Science; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Optical and Electronic Materials; Photocatalysis; Pollutants; Surfactants; Synthesis; Ultraviolet radiation
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-022-09134-4

In this article, γ-Fe 2 O 3 and CuO nanoparticles were synthesized by precipitation method without using surfactant or using green surfactants. Then the γ-Fe 2 O 3 -CuO nanocomposites were fabricated. The XRD was used to investigate the crystalline lattice of γ-Fe 2 O 3 and CuO nanoparticles and γ-Fe 2 O 3 -CuO nanocomposites. The CuO and γ-Fe 2 O 3 particles have monoclinic and cube phases, respectively. The Scherrer formula calculated average particle crystallite size about 19, 23, and 18 nm for γ-Fe 2 O 3 , CuO, and γ-Fe 2 O 3 -CuO, respectively. The morphology, shape, and size of products were characterized via SEM and TEM. The medium size of all nanostructures was estimated under 100 nm. The hysteresis curve of γ-Fe 2 O 3 was investigated via a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The synthesized γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles are a soft ferromagnetic and had a coercivity about 20 Oe. Photocatalytic properties of Fe 2 O 3 -CuO composites were checked out via the decay of acid blue, acid violet, and acid black azo dyes in UV light irradiation. The nanocomposites have a photocatalyst degradation about 90% in 10 minutes under UV light irradiation, which has a significant advantage over other works done.