Decoloration of methylene blue by heterogeneous Fenton-like oxidation on Fe3O4/SiO2/C nanospheres in neutral environment

Surface modification of Fe3O4 is an efficient strategy to improve its Fenton-like catalytic activity. In this study, the dispersible Fe3O4 cores were coated with SiO2 and C to prepare Fe3O4/SiO2/C nanospheres (FSCNS) for Fenton-like catalysis. FSCNS showed high catalytic activity in the pH range of 4-9. The dispersible formulation made FSCNS more efficient than aggregated Fe3O4/SiO2/C nanocomposites. Increasing the FSCNS amount, H2O2 concentration and temperature would accelerate the Fenton-like reaction. The radicals generated in the Fenton-like reaction was used for the decoloration of cationic dye methylene blue and showed good tolerance to radical scavenger t-butanol. After decoloration, FSCNS could be easily washed for regeneration. The implication to the applications of FSCNS in water treatment is discussed. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.