Preparation and comparison of catalytic performance for nano MgFe2O4, GO-loaded MgFe2O4 and GO-coated MgFe2O4 nanocomposites

Ultrasonic-assisted and pH-dependent assembly of MgFe2O4 nanospheres and graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets, led to the formation of GO-loaded MgFe2O4 and GO-coated MgFe2O4 nanocomposites (NCs), respectively. Both of them exhibited much higher effects on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) than individual MgFe2O4. Among all the samples, GO-coated MgFe2O4 NCs exhibited the most effectively catalytic activity, which could dramatically reduce the high decomposition temperature of AP from 403.73 degrees C to 308.68 degrees C, enhance the energy release of AP from 649.6 J g(-1) to 1526 J g(-1), and decrease the apparent activation energy of AP from 138.7 kJ mol(-1) to 116.9 kJ mol(-1). The synergy effect between a multi-layer structure of GO nanosheets and uniformly dispersed MgFe2O4 nanospheres, as well as the strong electrostatic interactions between GO and MgFe2O4, facilitated the MgFe2O4 charge separation and transfer, thereby leading to highly efficient and robust catalytic activity. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.