One-pot synthesis of ZnLaxFe2−xO4 clusters without any template and their possible application in water treatment

Abstract

A facile and efficient one-pot solvothermal synthetic route is proposed to fabricate spherical La³⁺ doped zinc ferrite clusters without any template and surfactant. Numerous nanoparticles are aggregated to form clusters with uniform shape and size. Different values of x in ZnLa_xFe_2−xO₄ induce different magnetic parameters for these clusters. Especially, the maximum of the saturation magnetization of ZnLa_xFe_2−xO₄ clusters is 86 emu g⁻¹ when x = 0.02. This result is different to those reported, in which the saturation magnetization decreased with La³⁺ doping. The as-prepared clusters also showed good performance in removal of pollutants like methyl orange from water by adsorption. Different Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface areas may induce a different capacity in removal of the pollutant.