Nuclear chemistry

Wastewater

Catalysis

Textile

Engineering

Ecology

Methyl orange

Biology

Metallurgy

Materials science

Chromatography

Diffuse reflectance infrared fourier transform

Spinel

Biochemistry

Environmental remediation

Chemical engineering

Waste management

Environmental engineering

Physics

Nanotechnology

Optics

Environmental chemistry

Characterization (materials science)

Contamination

Environmental science

Composite material

Analytical Chemistry (journal)

Cobalt

Chemistry

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Photocatalysis

Pulp and paper industry

Absorption spectroscopy

Superlattices and Microstructures

Highly active and magnetically separable Mg substituted cobalt zinc nanoferrites having formula (Co0.6Zn0.4MgxFe2−xO4, x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0) were synthesized using sol–gel auto combustion method. The photo-catalytic activity of all the nanoferrites samples annealed at 1000 °C under visible light was evaluated by the degradation of Methyl orange (MO) dye. All the heterogeneous catalysts were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction patterns and vibrating sample magnetometer. FT-IR absorption spectra exhibited two absorption bands in the range of 400–600 cm−1 which were characteristic feature of spinel ferrites. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns at room temperature confirmed the formation of single-phase cubic spinel (FCC) structure with Fd3m space group in all the nanoferrites. Lattice parameter was found to decrease from 8.390 to 8.360 Å with increase in Mg concentration. Semiconductor behavior of all the prepared samples was confirmed by performing electrical measurements. Saturation magnetization (Ms) was observed to decrease from 55.13 to 24.14 (emu/g) with increase in magnesium concentration. All the samples were catalytically active and photo catalytic efficiency was enhanced as the concentration of magnesium ion increased from 0.2 to 1.0. Complete degradation of the MO dye was achieved along with easy magnetic separation of the catalyst from the solution, thereby exhibiting its potential use in organic pollutant removal from wastewater.

Mg–Co–Zn magnetic nanoferrites: Characterization and their use for remediation of textile wastewater