MnFe2O4/ZrO2 nanocomposite as an efficient magnetically separable photocatalyst with good response to sunlight: preparation, characterization and catalytic mechanism

Abstract

Magnetically separable novel nano-MnFe 2 O 4 /ZrO 2 nanocomposite (NC) and MnFe 2 O 4 (MFO) samples were synthesized by an efficient solution combustion methodology. The structure, morphology and optical properties were characterized through powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of MnFe 2 O 4 /ZrO 2 nanocomposite was analysed for decolourization efficiency of methylene blue (MB) and textile dye wastewater under natural sunlight irradiation. The results demonstrated that the decolourization response of the MnFe 2 O 4 /ZrO 2 nanocomposite was 95% for MB and 59% for textile dye wastewater in 90 min. The photocatalytic performance of MnFe 2 O 4 /ZrO 2 was almost 1.4 times as high as pure MnFe 2 O 4 was ascribed to the synergic effect and interfacial interaction across MnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticle (NP) and ZrO 2 that leads to separation of electron-hole pairs efficiently and broadened light absorption of the composite (2.42 eV) compared to MnFe 2 O 4 (2.15 eV). The effective optimized parameters such as solution pH of 7, nanocomposite dosage of 60 mg and initial dye concentration of 20 ppm were studied on photocatalytic performance for the removal of MB dye. The magnetically separable MnFe 2 O 4 / ZrO 2 nanocomposite proved to be highly active and a stable catalyst in five successive photodecolourization cycles for an aqueous solution of MB dye under sunlight irradiation. Furthermore, the possible sunlight photocatalytic mechanism of the MnFe 2 O 4 /ZrO 2 nanocomposite was proposed. Due to its enhancement in photocatalytic activity, this NC has great potential towards the environmental remediation for practical photocatalytic application towards wastewater treatment.

Sensing beyond Senses: An Overview of Outstanding Strides in Architecting Nanopolymer-Enabled Sensors for Biomedical Applications

“…Numerous equivalently popular examples of synergic effects of nanocomposites with environmental relevance are emerging in large numbers. For instance, a novel nanocomposite MnFe 2 O 4 /ZrO 2 [ 57 ] has shown decolorization response towards methylene blue organic dye through adsorption and desorption at an optimum concentration of 20 ppm. The technique, which is validated at different concentrations using industrial waste water, has proved to be an efficient sensing methodology and may find potential to be extended in monitoring organic dye toxicity in surface water resources.…”

“…The sensitivity of the material was evaluated through cyclic voltammetry response curves, which intensified with increasing concentrations of analyte. The work was motivated by the previously noted high activity induced five successive decolourization cycles of methylene blue by MnFe 2 O 4 /ZrO 2 nanocomposite [ 57 ]. Exploring the detection capacity of paracetamol and D-glucose was also extended to doping MnFe 2 O 4 with Ce [ 77 ] which resulted in a wider range of responses over 1 to 10 mM.…”

Application of visible light active photocatalysis for water contaminants: A review

“…S. Li, Lai, et al, 2019). A good design of composite will lead to optimized parameters (like broadened energy band), efficient separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and charge carrier recombination hindrance (Meena et al, 2020).…”

“…under sunlight (89%) are better than under UV (87.5%). Better removal efficiency is achieved by MnFe 2 O 4 /ZrO 2 nanocomposite, which removes 95% MB in 90 min(Meena et al, 2020) Ahmed et al (2020). used nanosized iron (FeNPs) solely to remove lizarin yellow R (AYR) dye, and in 42 h, 93.7% of AYR was degraded.…”

Recent Advances in Magnetic Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites for the Remediation of Water Resources

“…Zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ) nanoparticles have been attached to manganese ferrite (MnFe 2 O 4 ) nanoparticles (average size, <20 nm) by Nagabhushana et al [121] who investigated this material as a potential material for the decolorization of organic dyes in water. It was found that at pH 7 the nanocomposite was able to degrade up to 95% of a 20 ppm methylene blue dye solution within 90 min under natural light.…”