Albumin matrix assisted wet chemical synthesis of nanocrystalline MFe2O4 (M = Cu, Co and Zn) ferrites for visible light driven degradation of methylene blue by hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

Spinel MFe₂O₄ (M = Cu, Co and Zn) ferrites have been successfully synthesized via a wet chemical process assisted by albumin matrix and employed as catalyst for methylene blue (MB) degradation. The materials have been characterized by different techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Raman spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherm. The crystallite size is found to vary from 13 to 43 nm depending on the calcination temperature and they exhibit low BET surface area. Spherical and rod like surface morphology is obtained for porous copper and zinc ferrite. Copper and cobalt ferrite exhibit ferromagnetic properties typical of nanomaterials. On the other hand zinc ferrite shows superparamagnetic behavior. The current ferrites, specifically copper ferrite, are reported to exhibit significant catalytic activity for the photodegradation of methylene blue in the presence of H₂O₂ under visible light. All the ferrite materials show better activity in acidic medium.