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Recyclable CoFe2O4–Ag2O magnetic photocatalyst and its visible light-driven photocatalytic performance

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Abstract

A magnetically separable photocatalyst, the composite compound CoFe2O4–Ag2O, was fabricated successfully by a simple precipitation method and used for photodegradation of organic pollutants under visible light (>420 nm) irradiation. Its magnetic separation performance was evaluated. Results showed that the CoFe2O4–Ag2O with 60-wt% content of Ag2O had the best photocatalytic performance, stability, and magnetic separation performance. Methyl orange, methylene blue, rhodamine B, and phenol can be completely photodegraded by the CoFe2O4–Ag2O photocatalyst in a short period. After five cycles, CoFe2O4–Ag2O kept its performance stability. As prepared, CoFe2O4–Ag2O (60%) has a coercivity of 2500 Oe and a saturation magnetization of 22.45 emu g−1; it can be completely separated magnetically in 20 s with magnetic recovery mass rate of 85% under an external magnetic field. This superb photocatalytic performance and separation recovery confirms that the CoFe2O4–Ag2O photocatalyst is a promising candidate for future use in photo-oxidative degradation of organic contaminants.

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Acknowledgements

We are thankful for the financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Project (no. 21476146).

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  1. Multi-Phases Mass Transfer and Reaction Engineering Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China

    Qihui Zeng, Yingming Zhu, Wen Tian, Wei Jiang & Bin Liang

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  1. Qihui Zeng
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  2. Yingming Zhu
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Correspondence to Wei Jiang.

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Zeng, Q., Zhu, Y., Tian, W. et al. Recyclable CoFe2O4–Ag2O magnetic photocatalyst and its visible light-driven photocatalytic performance. Res Chem Intermed 43, 4487–4502 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11164-017-2891-x

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