Magnetic (γ-Fe2O3@SiO2)n@TiO2 Functional Hybrid Nanoparticles with Actived Photocatalytic Ability

An easy chemical route for the synthesis of (gamma-Fe2O3@SiO2)(n)@TiO2 functional hybrid nanoparticles is reported in this paper. The hybrid nanoparticles are composed of spherical nanoparticles about 100 nm in diameter, with several gamma-Fe2O3 fine particles about 15 nm in diameter as cores distributing within the titania matrix and silica as coatings and barrier layers between the magnetic cores and titania shells. The (gamma-Fe2O3@SiO2)(n)@TiO2 hybrid nanoparticles show good magnetic response and got together within 20 sin a magnetic field. Photodegradation examination of the magnetic hybrid nanoparticles was carried out in methylene blue solutions illuminated under UV light in a photochemical reactor. It is shown that the (gamma-Fe2O3@SiO2)(n)@TiO2 functional hybrid nanoparticles are photocatalytically actived. About 80% of methylene blue decomposed in 80 min in the presence of magnetic hybrid nanoparticles under illumination of UV light. The synthesized magnetic hybrid nanoparticles display high photocatalytic efficiency and will find potential applications for cleaning polluted water with the help of magnetic separation.