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Nanomodified Geopolymers with Copper Ferrites for Methylene Blue Degradation

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Abstract

The photocatalytic properties of copper ferrites can be exploited in the degradation of organic contaminants in aqueous media, such as methylene blue. The interaction of ferrites with electromagnetic radiation results in the formation of chemical species capable of acting in the degradation of methylene blue molecules. The incorporation of these nanomaterials into geopolymeric matrices makes it possible to produce polymeric nanocomposites with improved properties. Geopolymers loaded with different percentages of copper ferrites were placed in contact with a solution of methylene blue, exposed to UV light and it was possible to observe photocatalytic activity in the degradation of this dye. Analysis in a UV–Vis spectrophotometer, at the maximum absorbance wavelength of the dye equivalent to 670 nm, showed that the geopolymer loaded with 2% copper ferrites was more effective in degrading methylene blue. These results display the potential of copper ferrite-loaded geopolymers as viable photocatalysts for organic pollutant remediation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Macromolecules Institute Professor Eloisa Mano (IMA) for all the support. We also thank the Center of Mineralogy (CETEM), for the SEM analyses, conducted by Antonieta Middea, the Marine Research Institute (IPqM) by the synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles conducted by Roberto Costa Lima. Besides, this work was supported by Agência Nacional de Petróleo (PRH 16.1), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq BRICS-STI-5 440090/2022-9 and PQ-2022 302508/2022-8), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES–Finance Code 001), and Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ E-26/210.800/2021 (Energy), E-26/211.122/2021 (COVID), E-26/210.511/2021 (ConBraPA2022), E-26/201.154/2021 (CNE), and E-26/210.080/2023 (Thematic)).

Funding

The study was supported by the Agência Nacional de Petróleo (PRH 16.1), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq BRICS-STI-5 440090/2022-9 and PQ-2022 302508/2022-8), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior,Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ E-26/210.800/2021 (Energy), E-26/211.122/2021 (COVID), E-26/210.511/2021 (ConBraPA2022), E-26/201.154/2021 (CNE), and E-26/210.080/2023 (Thematic)).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Macromoléculas Professora Eloisa Mano, Centro de Tecnologia-Cidade Universitária, Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Gabriel Bezerra Silva, Fabíola da Silveira Maranhão, Fernando Gomes de Souza Jr., Thiago do Nascimento Peçanha & Ellen Brito Hsia

  2. Programa de Engenharia da Nanotecnologia, COPPE, Centro de Tecnologia-Cidade Universitária, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Fernando Gomes de Souza Jr. & Daniele Silvéria Brandão

  3. Centro de Tecnologia Mineral-Cidade Universitária, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Antonieta Middea

  4. Instituto de Pesquisas da Marinha, Cacuia-Ilha do Governador, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Roberto Costa Lima

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  1. Gabriel Bezerra Silva
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  2. Fabíola da Silveira Maranhão
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Silva, G.B., da Silveira Maranhão, F., de Souza, F.G. et al. Nanomodified Geopolymers with Copper Ferrites for Methylene Blue Degradation. Top Catal 67, 670–687 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-024-01922-y

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