Heterogeneous photo-Fenton processes using graphite carbon coating hollow CuFe2O4 spheres for the degradation of methylene blue

The novel graphite carbon coating hollow CuFe2O4 spheres were fabricated through solvothermal method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectra, etc. The catalytic performance of the graphite carbon coating hollow CuFe2O4 spheres was evaluated in photo-Fenton-like degradation of methylene blue (MB) using H2O2 as a green oxidant under light irradiation (lambda > 400 nm). The results demonstrated that the hollow CuFe2O4 spheres with graphite carbon coating exhibited superior catalytic activity. In the preparation process of catalyst, the addition of glucose was very important to its catalytic performance. Photoresponse analysis of the typical samples proved that CuFe2O4@graphite carbon core-shell hollow spheres possessed excellent photocurrent response and lower electrochemical impedance. In addition, a possible mechanism for photocatalytic degradation of MB had been presumed. Moreover, after five regeneration cycles, the graphite carbon coating hollow CuFe2O4 spheres still exhibited better properties. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.