A novel synthesis route to obtain magnetic nanocrystalline cobalt ferrite with photo-Fenton activity

A novel unconventional coprecipitation procedure (UCP) followed by a simple and fast microwave-assisted hydrothermal (MAH) treatment was used to synthesize a new nanocrystalline magnetic cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4/MAH) with photo-Fenton activity. The Co-ferrite nanoparticles were obtained at room temperature in the absence of surfactants and their photo-Fenton activity was evaluated through lignin degradation. It was found that microwave hydrothermal treatment is mandatory to obtain magnetic and photoactive Co-ferrite. According to XRD Rietveld refinements and FTIR, the photoactivity was mainly attributed to the Co2+ cation migration from octahedral to tetrahedral sites in the ferrite structure during the MAH treatment, leading, consequently, to a higher Fe3+ incorporation at octahedral sites, which strongly participate in the photo-Fenton degradation mechanism. The magnetic property of the CoFe2O4/MAH ferrite nanoparticles was confirmed by magnetometry and provided an easy catalyst separation.

Automated summary

A novel unconventional coprecipitation procedure combined with a simple and fast microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment was used to synthesize a new nanocrystalline magnetic cobalt ferrite with photo-Fenton activity. The study demonstrated that microwave hydrothermal treatment is essential for obtaining magnetic and photoactive Co-ferrite, with photoactivity mainly attributed to the migration of Co2+ ions during the MAH treatment.