Adsorption of Sulfur Dioxide by CoFe2O4 Spinel Ferrite Nanoparticles and Corresponding Changes in Magnetism

Adsorption of sulfur dioxide on 10 nm CoFe2O4 spinel ferrite nanoparticles was examined. Adsorption loadings of sulfur dioxide at breakthrough conditions were determined to be approximately 0.62 mol/kg, which is significant given the 150 m(2)/g surface area of the nanoparticles. Adsorption proceeds through a chemisorption mechanism with sulfur dioxide forming a sulfate upon adsorption on the particle surface, which leads to a 23% decrease in the remnant magnetization, a 20% decrease in the saturation magnetization, and a 9% decrease in the coercivity of the magnetic nanoparticles. Adsorbent materials that provide a magnetic signal when adsorption occurs could have broad implications on adsorption-based separations.