Sustainable synthesis of AFe2O4 (A = Mg, Zn, Mn) catalysts: comparing the photooxidative and electrochemical properties towards organic dyes detection and degradation

Abstract

By serving as alternatives to toxic and hazardous solvents, green solvents assist in implementing the idea of sustainability. The use of these neoteric reaction media dramatically reduces energy requirements and moderates the rate at which chemical waste is produced. In this work, we propose the sustainable synthesis of AFe₂O₄ catalyst (A = Mg, Zn, Mn) using a deep eutectic solvent (DES) mixture. The choline chloride–malonic acid based DES system shows heterogeneities at the nanoscopic stage, allowing for a more holistic production of spinels via a modified solid-state route with less environmental effect. Structural and morphological analyses of the synthesized ferrites clearly demonstrate the importance of next-generation solvents in the fabrication of functional materials. The ability of these synthesized samples to act as magnetically separable catalysts for the effective degradation and electrochemical detection of hazardous dye contaminants in water bodies using visible light has also been investigated. This approach quantifies green chemistry metrics and proves that functional materials can be effectively modified and improved at the nanoscale for a variety of applications.