Photocatalytic dye degradation by recyclable Zn-Co magnetic ferrites at ambient conditions

ABSTRACT

There has been immense development in the production and use of recyclable materials for dye degradation which are advancing in a wide perspective to minimise the environmental impacts. Therefore, an efficient, eco-friendly, magnetically separable and recyclable catalyst is being reported that has the potential to remove dyes [Tropeolin000, Congo red and Orange G] from wastewater. The catalyst has a backbone containing Zinc, Cobalt and Iron in the ratio Zn_0.5Co_0.5Fe₂O₄ with a coating of polyaniline that enhances its dye degradation capability. These synthesised PANi-coated ferrites have been characterised by FTIR, XRD, SEM and EDX techniques, and the photocatalytic activity has been explored using UV–Vis spectrophotometer at ambient conditions. A dye removal efficiency of as high as more than 99.9% has been reported for dye Orange G and above 90% for Tropeolin000. The mechanistic pathway that can be involved in the dye degradation has also been discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Surface-modified ferrites
• dye degradation
• recyclable
• Congo red
• Orange G

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Central Instrumentation Facility (CIF), Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, for SEM/EDX and TGA/DSC data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.