Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue via Cobalt Doped Fe3O4 Nanoparticles

Abstract

Cobalt doped Fe3O4 i.e., CoFe3O4 nanoparticles of different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 mol% were represented as Fe3O4, CF1, CF2, CF3, CF4, CF5, respectively) were synthesized using a chemical co-precipitation technique. The XRD patterns and FTIR spectra of Co doped Fe3O4 revealed the formation of spinel structure indicating the successful incorporation of cobalt ions with the Fe3O4 structure of the iron ions at octahedral sites. Scanning electron micrographs showed a fine uniform spherical particles. UV spectroscopic analysis showed that cobalt doping in CoFe3O4 nanocomposites influenced the band gap values. These band gap values decreased in the range of 2.76-1.61 eV (direct), 2.53-0.97 eV (indirect) with increase of cobalt content. The activity of CoFe3O4 in photocatalysis was investigated using methylene blue azo dye under visible light. These results depicted that for 1% cobalt doped Fe3O4 novel material photocatalytic activity was enhanced than all other prepared nanomaterials.