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Surface photovoltage properties and photocatalytic activities of nanocrystalline CoFe2O4 particles with porous superstructure fabricated by a modified chemical coprecipitation method

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Abstract

In this study, nanocrystalline CoFe2O4 particles with porous timber-like superstructure were synthesized by a modified chemical co-precipitation route with calcination temperatures of 573, 673, 773, 873, and 973 K, respectively. The structural properties of the samples were systematically investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectra, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. The photo-induced charge separation in the samples was demonstrated by surface photovoltage (SPV) measurement. The photocatalytic performances of the CoFe2O4 samples were comparatively studied by the degradation of 4-chlorophenol under Xe lamp irradiation. The results indicated that the sample calcined at 673 K exhibited the highest photocatalytic efficiency among the five samples.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported financially by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Nos. 20877013, 20837001), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program) (No. 2007AA061402) and the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program) (No. 2007CB613306).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemical, School of Environmental Sciences and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China

    Zhengru Zhu, Xinyong Li, Qidong Zhao, Yong Shi & Hong Li

  2. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Xinyong Li & Guohua Chen

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  1. Zhengru Zhu
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  2. Xinyong Li
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  3. Qidong Zhao
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  4. Yong Shi
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  5. Hong Li
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  6. Guohua Chen
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Correspondence to Xinyong Li.

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Zhu, Z., Li, X., Zhao, Q. et al. Surface photovoltage properties and photocatalytic activities of nanocrystalline CoFe2O4 particles with porous superstructure fabricated by a modified chemical coprecipitation method. J Nanopart Res 13, 2147–2155 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-010-9973-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-010-9973-7

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