Cellulose beads supported CoFe2O4: A novel heterogeneous catalyst for efficient rhodamine B degradation via advanced oxidation processes

In this study, a novel mechanical process was used to produce cellulose beads (CB). These beads were then doped with cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe2O4 NPs) to serve as catalysts for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) through peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The physical and chemical properties of CoFe2O4 and CoFe2O4@CB catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) techniques, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). To optimize RhB degradation efficiency, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed, utilizing the Box-Behnken design (BBD). Under the optimized conditions of a catalyst dosage of 0.40 g/L, PMS dosage of 0.98 mM, RhB concentration of 40 mg/L, pH of 5.27, and reaction time of 60 min, a remarkable degradation efficiency of 98.51 % was achieved at a temperature of 25 °C. In quenching experiments, 1O2, SO4•-, and HO• species are produced in the CoFe2O4@CB/PMS system, with 1O2, and SO4•- species dominating RhB degradation. Remarkably, the new CoFe2O4@CB catalyst has demonstrated exceptional stability and reusability, validated by recycling tests (up to 78 % of RhB degradation efficiency after a 5-cycle experiment) and subsequent characterizations (FTIR, SEM, and EDX) emphasizing unchanged bands, uniform distribution, and consistent composition after reuse cycles. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of mechanically produced CoFe2O4@CB catalysts for advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), with promising applications in wastewater treatment.

Coating CoFe2O4 shell on Fe particles to increase the utilization efficiencies of Fe and peroxymonosulfate for low-cost Fenton-like reactions

Bimetallic composites (Fe@CoFe2O4) with zero-valent Fe as the core encapsulated by CoFe2O4 layers are synthesized by a coprecipitation-calcination method, which are applied to activate PMS for the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA). Enhanced activity of Fe@CoFe2O4 is achieved with very fast degradation rate (kobs = 0.5737 min-1). In the fixed-bed reactor, the catalyst lifetime (tul) of Fe@CoFe2O4 is determined to be 22 h compared to 11 h of Fe, and the deactivation rate constant (kd) for Fe@CoFe2O4 is 0.0083 mg·L-1·h-1, only ∼1/10 of Fe (0.0731). The XPS results indicate that the core-shell structure of Fe@CoFe2O4 could promote the redox cycles of Co3+/Co2+ and Fe3+/Fe2+. It is proved that the coating of CoFe2O4 shell on Fe0 can protect the Fe0 core from being oxidized by PMS to form passivation layer. The electrons of Fe0 can therefore be used effectively for activating PMS to produce ROSs via the CoFe2O4 shell. This modification method of Fe0 would decrease the cost of PMS based wastewater remediation greatly, thus should have great potential on an industrial scale.

Joint-detection of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 by an immersible amplification dip-stick immunoassay

To explore the superiority of multifunctional nanocomposites and realize the joint-detection of foodborne pathogens, an immersible amplification dip-stick immunoassay (DSIA) was exploited for the sensitive detection of Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhi) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7). Saving for the basic colorimetric performance, the reporter molecule of CoFe₂O₄ (CFO) possesses multivalent elements (Co^2+/3+, Fe^2+/3+) as well as multifunction of superior catalase-like activity and magnetic properties. By dint of the catalytic activity of CFO, a directly immersible amplification can be simply achieved to endure the DSIA with an intensive signal and a dual-visible mode for the determination of S. typhi and E. coli O157:H7. In virtue of the magnetic separation and enrichment capability of the CFO, the DSIA can perform a matrix-interference-free detection and obtain a dynamic detection range of 10²-10⁸ CFU/mL and a low assay limit of 10² CFU/mL. Moreover, the DSIA has reasonable recovery rates for contamination monitoring of two target bacteria in milk and beef samples. Our research provides a persuasive supplement for the application of multifunctional nanocomposites in the ongoing dip-stick immunoassay and an alternative strategy for the efficient detection of foodborne pathogens.

Hierarchal polyaniline-folic acid nanostructures act as a platform for electrochemical detection of tumor cells

The fabrication of electrochemical sensing platforms for cancer monitoring by quantifying circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood holds promise for providing a low-cost, rapid, feasible, and safe approach for cancer diagnosis. Here, we isolate cancer cells using CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles functionalized with folic acid and chitosan as an inexpensive magnetic nanoprobe. This electrochemical cytosensing platform was realized using polyaniline-folic acid nanohybrids with a three-dimensional hierarchical structure that presents abundant affinity sites toward overexpressed folate bioreceptors on cancer cells, in addition to retaining satisfied conductivity. Furthermore, 3D modeling and simulation of the polyaniline-folic acid structures were conducted to investigate the stable complex between aniline and folate, and the interaction between the polyaniline-folate complex and folate receptor alpha1, a bioreceptor on MCF-7 was revealed for the first time. The limit of detection was calculated to be 4 cells mL^-1 with a linear range from 50 to 10⁶ cells mL^-1.

Facile synthesis of CoFe2O4@MIL-53(Al) nanocomposite for fast dye removal: Adsorption models, optimization and recyclability

The global occurrence of textile dyes pollution has recently emerged, posing a serious threat to ecological systems. To abate dye contamination, we here developed a novel magnetic porous CoFe₂O₄@MIL-53(Al) nanocomposite by incorporating magnetic CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles with MIL-53(Al) metal-organic framework. This nanocomposite possessed a surface area of 197.144 m² g^-1 and a pore volume of 0.413 cm³ g^-1. The effect of contact time (5-120 min), concentration (5-50 mg L^-1), dosage (0.1-1.0 g L^-1), and pH (2-10) on Congo red adsorption was clarified. CoFe₂O₄@MIL-53(Al) could remove 95.85% of Cong red dye from water with an accelerated kinetic rate of 0.6544 min^-1 within 10 min. The kinetic and isotherm models showed the predominance of Bangham and Temkin. According to Langmuir, the maximum uptake capacities of CoFe₂O₄@MIL-53(Al), CoFe₂O₄, and MIL-53(Al) adsorbents were 43.768, 17.982, and 15.295 mg g^-1, respectively. CoFe₂O₄@MIL-53(Al) was selected to optimize Cong red treatment using Box-Behnken experimental design. The outcomes showed that CoFe₂O₄@MIL-53(Al) achieved the highest experimental uptake capacity of 35.919 mg g^-1 at concentration (29.966 mg L^-1), time (14.926 min), and dosage (0.486 g L^-1). CoFe₂O₄@MIL-53(Al) could treat dye mixture (methylene blue, methyl orange, Congo red, malachite green, and crystal violet) with an outstanding removal efficiency of 81.24% for 30 min, and could be reused up to five cycles. Therefore, novel recyclable and stable CoFe₂O₄@MIL-53(Al) is recommended to integrate well with real dye treatments systems.

Facile synthesis of CoFe2O4@BC activated peroxymonosulfate for p-nitrochlorobenzene degradation: Matrix effect and toxicity evaluation

p-Nitrochlorobenzene (p-NCB) is widely used in industry and poses a potential threat to the public health due to its persistence, carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. Herein, magnetic catalyst CoFe₂O₄@Biochar (CoFe₂O₄@BC) was synthesized by a facile sol-gel method, efficiently activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to degrade p-NCB. The synergistic effect of Fe and Co in well-dispersed CoFe₂O₄ and the electron transfer promote the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (OH, SO₄^- and O₂^-), efficiently removing p-NCB enriched by CoFe₂O₄@BC. Under optimum conditions, the CoFe₂O₄@BC/PMS system could remove 89% of p-NCB from water, and the degradation efficiency could reach 80% in soil. Toxic chlorinated intermediates appeared during the degradation process and thus efficient dechlorination process can lower the toxicity of the reaction solution, which was also proved by the oxygen uptake inhibition experiment as well as zebrafish toxicity experiments. Furthermore, p-NCB degradation efficiency could be inhibited by Cl^-, HCO₃^-, HPO₄^2- and humic acid (HA) through quenching effect or occupation of CoFe₂O₄@BC surface active sites while HPO₄^2- could also improve the efficiency by directly activating PMS. The CoFe₂O₄@BC/PMS system can be efficiently applied in the remediation of p-NCB pollution in water and soil.

Transformation of CoFe2O4 spinel structure into active and robust CoFe alloy/N-doped carbon electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

Electrochemical water splitting is an environmentally benign technology employed for H₂ production; however, it is critically hampered by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the positive electrode. In this work, nitrogen-doped carbon-coated CoFe electrocatalysts were synthesized via a three-step route comprising (1) hydrothermal reaction, (2) in-situ polymerization of dopamine and (3) carbonization. The effect of carbonized polydopamine on the overall physicochemical properties and electrochemical activity of CoFe catalysts was systematically studied. By controlling and optimizing the ratio of CoFe₂O₄ and dopamine contents, a transformation of the CoFe₂O₄ structure to CoFe alloy was observed. It was found that CoFe/NC_30% (prepared with 30% dopamine) exhibits an excellent catalytic activity towards OER. A small overpotential of 340 mV was required to generate a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 in a 1.0 M KOH electrolyte. More importantly, the CoFe/NC_30% catalyst reflected exceptional durability for at least 24 h. This research sheds light on the development of affordable, highly efficient, and durable electrocatalysts for OER.

A facial strategy to efficiently improve catalytic performance of CoFe2O4 to peroxymonosulfate

Cobalt iron spinel (CoFe₂O₄) has been considered as a good heterogeneous catalysis to peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in the degradation of persistent organic pollutants due to its magnetic properties and good chemical stability. However, its catalytic activity needs to be further improved. Here, a facial strategy, "in-situ substitution", was adopted to modify CoFe₂O₄ to improve its catalytic performance just by suitably increasing the Co/Fe ratio in synthesis process. Compared with CoFe₂O₄, the newly synthesized Co_1.5Fe_1.5O₄, could not only significantly improve the degradation efficiency of phenol, from 50.69 to 93.6%, but also exhibited more effective mineralization ability and higher PMS utilization. The activation energy advantage for phenol degradation using Co_1.5Fe_1.5O₄ was only 44.2 kJ/mol, much lower than that with CoFe₂O₄ (127.3 kJ/mol). A series of related representations of CoFe₂O₄ and Co_1.5Fe_1.5O₄ were compared to explore the possible reasons for the outstanding catalytic activity of Co_1.5Fe_1.5O₄. Results showed that Co_1.5Fe_1.5O₄ as well represented spinel crystal as CoFe₂O₄ and the excess cobalt just partially replaced the position of iron without changing the original structure. Co_1.5Fe_1.5O₄ had smaller particle size (8.7 nm), larger specific surface area (126.3 m²/g), which was more favorable for exposure of active sites. Apart from the superior physical properties, more importantly, more reactive centers Co (Ⅱ) and surface hydroxyl compounds generated on Co_1.5Fe_1.5O₄, which might be the major reason. Furthermore, Co_1.5Fe_1.5O₄ behaved good paramagnetism, wide range of pH suitability and strong resistance to salt interference, making it a new prospect in environmental application.

Sustainably recycling spent lithium-ion batteries to prepare magnetically separable cobalt ferrite for catalytic degradation of bisphenol A via peroxymonosulfate activation

A selective separation-recovery process based on tuning organic acid was proposed to the resource recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for the first time. The low-cost preparation of CoFe₂O₄, reuse of waste acid and recovery of Li can be realized in this process, simultaneously. Li and Co in spent LIBs can be leached efficiently using citric acid as a leaching agent, and separated effectively from leaching solution by tuning oxalic acid content. The results from the characterizations of the prepared CoFe₂O₄ (CoFe₂O₄-LIBs) show that it possesses higher ratio of Co(II)/Co(III) and Fe(II)/Fe(III), larger surface specific area and more number of acid sites in comparison with pure CoFe₂O₄. Besides, CoFe₂O₄-LIBs was used to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA). Interestingly, its degradation performance is superior to that of pure CoFe₂O₄ and the related Co-based catalysts. The excellent degradation performance can be maintained in presence of inorganic ions (e.g., Cl^-, HCO₃^-, H₂PO₄^- and NO₃^-) with high concentration or humic acid. Moreover, surface-bound SO₄^∙- is considered as the main reactive species for the degradation of BPA. More importantly, CoFe₂O₄-LIBs can be readily recycled by using an external magnet and own superior ability of regeneration.

A novel electrochemically enhanced homogeneous PMS-heterogeneous CoFe2O4 synergistic catalysis for the efficient removal of levofloxacin

A novel electrochemically enhanced homogeneous-heterogeneous catalytic system was constructed by placing the prepared heterogeneous catalyst (CoFe₂O₄/NF) in parallel between the anode and the cathode for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to remove levofloxacin (LVF) in this work. Over 90% of LVF could be effectively removed by the constructed system after 40 min's degradation. And the electrical energy consumption was only 2.51 kWh/m³, which was lower than 54.5% of the traditional electrochemical advanced oxidation process. Besides, the system broadened the response range of pH and overcame the inhibitory effect of alkaline conditions on degradation. These activities were mainly due to the high generation ability of free radical (SO₄^·-, ·OH and O₂^·-) and non-radical (¹O₂). And the SO₄^·- was found to be the main radical for LVF degradation. The high SO₄^·- generation ability was demonstrated to be resulted from the dual effects of synergy of CoFe₂O₄/PMS and enhancement of electrochemistry in EC/CoFe₂O₄/PMS system. In detail, electrochemistry could effectively promote the continuous circulation of Co²⁺/Co³⁺ and Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ redox cycles on the surface of CoFe₂O₄ to enhance the activation of PMS, thereby generating SO₄^·-. This work can provide a promising and cost-effective approach to construct highly efficient organic pollutant degradation system.

Adsorption behavior of silver quantum dots by a novel super magnetic CoFe2O4-biochar-polymeric nanocomposite

Recent industrial development and research progress in nanotechnology have led to the release of a number of nanomaterials with particle sizes (1-10 nm) which are categorized as quantum dots (QDs) in aquatic system. Disposal away of such QDs will cause potential pollution to the environment. Therefore, removal of disposed QDs from wastewater represents a challenging research subject for scientists and engineers. Hence, the objective of this study is devoted to assess the process of coagulative removal of silver quantum dots (Ag-QDs), as an example, from water by a novel super magnetic nanocomposite. Such material was aimed to prepare from the chemical combination and reaction of a generated Citrus sinensis and Citrus reticulata peels biochar (SMCsr-B) with spinel cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) as a super-magnetic source. The produced (SMCsr-B) was then crosslinked with polyurea-formaldehyde polymer (PUF) using EDA in only two minutes via microwave irradiation to produce (SMCsr-B/PUF). The SEM, EDX, FT-IR, XRD, and XPS analyses of the assembled (SMCsr-B/PUF) nanocomposite were acquired to confirm surface morphology and chemical structure. Controlling experimental factors were investigated as pH, time, and Ag-QDs pollutant concentration using microwave irradiative removal technique to establish the efficiency of coagulative adsorption of Ag-QDs onto (SMCsr-B/PUF). The solution (pH 5) was proved to exhibit the higher removal percentages of Ag-QDs in 15-25 s. SMCsr-B/PUF nanocomposite exhibited high removal efficiency as 93.12%, 92.39% and 92.48% upon using 20, 40 and 60 mg L^-1 of Ag-QDs, respectively in presence of 10 mM NaCl. The kinetic and equilibrium adsorption data were best fitted to Freundlich model. The prepared SMCsr-B/PUF was successfully utilized as an efficient super magnetic nanocomposite for removal and recovery of Ag-QDs from aqueous environment.

Annealing temperature effect on cobalt ferrite nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation

In this work, cobalt ferrite nanomaterials was prepared employing simple co-precipitation technique and annealed at 300, 400 and 600 °C. XRD study revealed the formation of cubic structure of CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles and confirmed by high intense peak at 2θ value of 35.3°. The creation of ferrite phase was further confirmed by the studies such as FTIR, Raman and PL spectra. FTIR spectra confirmed the occurrence of Fe-O and Co-O metal oxygen vibrations and the lattice defects and oxygen vacancies of the CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were explored by PL spectra. No other signals were detected in Raman spectra, which explored pure spinal ferrites. The energy band gap values are obtained by using Tauc plot and the obtained band gap values for all the cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were 2.84, 2.75 and 2.89 eV respectively. The morphology of synthesized cobalt ferrite nanomaterials were observed from the SEM and TEM images. The product annealed at 400 °C showed the better morphology with least amount of agglomeration in comparison to other SEM images. In addition, SAED pattern of magnetic nanoparticles confirmed the existence of polycrystalline nature of the CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles. The obtained surface area of CF2 sample was 5.082 m² g^-1 and pore volume and diameter of CF2 sample was found to be 0.013 cc/g and 3.937 nm respectively. Then, the product annealed at 400 °C exhibited most excellent activity and degraded 74% of cationic dye in 80 min, and it also exhibited excellent stability even maintain in three cycles.

Core-shell CoFe2O4@C nanoparticles coupled with rGO for strong wideband microwave absorption

Strong absorption and large bandwidth are two contributors to materials' absorbing performance. In this work, a series of multi-element core-shell magnetic nano-particle composite layered graphene absorbing materials CoFe₂O₄@C/rGO (CCr) were prepared by adjusting carbon shell thickness. The CCr at a low thickness achieved strong microwave absorption and a wide effective absorption bandwidth. Not only the core-shell structure of the magnetic nanoparticle CoFe₂O₄@C (CFO@C) increases the interface loss, but both the coating carbon shell and the core CoFe₂O₄ (CFO) are beneficial to improve impedance matching. Due to the synergistic effect of the dielectric and magnetic properties of graphene and ferrite, CCr possessed high absorption performance, and its minimum reflection loss reached (R_Lmin) -52.5 dB when the thickness was only 2 mm. At the same time, the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) was 5.68 GHz when the thickness was only 1.7 mm. The chemically stable core-shell dielectric nanocomposite provided a new solution for preparing materials with excellent chemical structure and high absorbing properties.

Fabrication of graphitic carbon nitride functionalized P-CoFe2O4 for the removal of tetracycline under visible light: Optimization, degradation pathways and mechanism evaluation

In this study, nano-sized CoFe₂O₄ composites were prepared through co-precipitation process. Then the phosphorus-doped strong magnetic graphitic carbon nitride hybrids composites (P-CoFe₂O₄@GCN) was stemmed from the CoFe₂O₄ composites via the thermal polymerization method. The TEM results show that the CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles have been successfully embedded into the graphitic carbon nitride (GCN). The BET specific surface area of P-CoFe₂O₄@GCN-1 could reach 36.91 m²/g, which was 5.38 times higher than that of GCN. Thus, it provided sufficient reaction active sites to enhance the photocatalytic activity for tetracycline (TC) decomposition. The results from the photocatalytic experiments showed that the degradation efficiency of TC by P-CoFe₂O₄@GCN-1 could reach 96.2% within 60 min, which is 3.19 times higher than that of GCN. The h⁺, O₂•^- and •OH radicals detected by the electron spin resonance (ESR) were responsible for the TC decomposition in the photocatalytic reaction system. Persulfate (PS) can further activate the hybrid mixture system, and the fitting model predicted by the response surface methodology (RSM) indicated that the maximum tetracycline removal could reach 99.6% within 30 min. In addition, the degradation intermediates of TC were detected by HPLC-MS and the photodegradation mechanism was discussed.

Fast energy storage performance of CoFe2O4/CNTs hybrid aerogels for potassium ion battery

We report CoFe₂O₄ and carbon nanotubes hybrid aerogels as a novel anode material for potassium ion batteries (KIBs). The synthetic route take the advantage of marine biobased materials as the precursor and facilely produce large-scale production of hybrid CoFe₂O₄ and carbon nanotubes aerogels as the advanced anode. The hybrid aerogels deliver a remarkable capacity of 180 mAh g^-1 with high stability over 200 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g^-1. The high rate charge/discharge reveals a relatively high capacity of 83 mAh g^-1 even at the current density of 1.0 A g^-1. In-situ XRD investigations reveal the phase evolution during charge/discharge, demonstrating the high stability of hybrid aerogels for the potassium intercalation/extraction. The high specific surface area and large numbers of mesopores with more active sites can benefit the effective transmission of electrons and K ions, leading to an improved specific capacity and cycle stability.

Delivery, fate and physiological effect of engineered cobalt ferrite nanoparticles in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe₂O₄ NPs) have received increasing attention in a widespread application. This work examines the fate and impact of terbium (Tb) substituted CoFe₂O₄ NPs on the growth, physiological indices, and magnetic character of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Sonochemically synthesized NPs were hydroponically applied on barley with changing doses (125-1000 mg/L) at germination and seedling (three weeks) stages. Results revealed a significant reduction in germination rate (∼37% at 1000 mg/L); however, a remarkable growth (∼38-65%) and biomass (∼72-133%) increase were detected at three weeks of exposure (p < 0.05). The elements that make up the NPs (i.e., Tb, Co, and Fe) increased significantly in both root and leaf tissues, indicating the translocation of NPs from the root to leaf. Vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM) analysis confirmed this finding, where magnetic signals in the root and leaf samples of the control were respectively about 26 and 75 times lower than that of NPs-treated tissues. Also, the accumulation of NPs altered the leaf photoluminescence (PL) behavior, which may have contributed to the biomass increase. Overall, Tb-doped CoFe₂O₄ NPs translocate from root-to-leaf and enhance plant growth, possibly due to i) incorporation of iron within tissues, and ii) changes in photoluminescence. However, since its effects on other living things are not known yet, its agricultural use and release to nature should be considered well.

Comparative adsorption mechanism of doxycycline and Congo red using synthesized kaolinite supported CoFe2O4 nanoparticles

Kaolinite supported CoFe₂O₄ (KCF) was synthesized and employed to adsorb doxycycline (DOX), an antibiotic and Congo red (CR), a dye from aqueous solution. The prepared KCF nanocomposite was treated in a muffle furnace at 300, 500 and 700 °C, and thereafter characterized. X-ray diffractogram revealed structural damage of kaolinite and appearance of distinct peaks of CoFe₂O₄ with an increase in calcination temperature, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were supported on the lamellar surface of kaolinites. Comparative adsorption mechanism of the two targeted contaminants showed that adsorption of DOX was influenced by hydrogen bond and n-π interaction, while that of CR was due to hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bond. However, the adsorption of the two contaminants was best fitted to the isotherm that was proposed by Langmuir, with a monolayer maximum adsorption capacity of 400 mg g^-1 at 333 K for DOX, and 547 mg g^-1 at 298 K for CR. The removal of DOX from aqueous solution was favored by an increase in temperature (endothermic), while that of CR was exothermic. Thermodynamics studies confirmed that the adsorption of the two contaminants is feasible and spontaneous. The presence of natural organic matter (NOM) did not affect the removal of the two contaminants. Regeneration and reusability study showed that KCF is economically viable. Therefore, introducing inorganic particles like cobalt ferrite into the matrix of kaolinites provides a composite with promising adsorption capacity.

Degradation of bisphenol A by persulfate activation via oxygen vacancy-rich CoFe2O4-x

This research describes the function of oxygen vacancy on CoFe₂O_4-x for persulfate (PS) activation. Novel CoFe₂O_4-x with different vacancy degrees that were successfully developed via hydrogen calcination were characterized using X-ray diffraction analyzer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), H₂ temperature-programmed reduction (H₂-TPR), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms and dynamic light scattering. The activation of catalysts was analyzed using Bisphenol A (BPA) as pollutant, and the main active species generated during the reaction were identified by using N₂ bubbling and scavenger experiments. Possible oxidation degradation pathways of BPA were speculated using gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) and total organic carbon (TOC) analysis. Findings indicated that the oxygen vacancies promoted electronic transfer and participated in the redox cycle from Co³⁺/Fe³⁺ to Co²⁺/Fe²⁺ to generate ¹O₂ and O₂^-. O₂^-, OH and SO₄^- generated from oxygen vacancy; moreover, PS activation could further degrade BPA to small molecules, such as benzenes and quinones. Finally, the toxicity of the reaction mixtures was evaluated and found that the acute toxicity to Daphnia magna decreased after 120 min treatment.

Efficient synthesis of PMMA@Co0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 organic-inorganic hybrids containing hyamine 1622 - Physicochemical properties, cytotoxic assessment and antimicrobial activity

The PMMA@Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄ ferrite containing hybrid nanomaterials with hyamine were prepared using emulsion polymerization method. Structural and morphological properties were evaluated using XRD, FT-IR, SEM techniques. The TGA and DTA analysis were performed in order to study the thermal properties of hybrid materials in contrast to reference material. Magnetic properties were studied using Quantum Design PPMS (VSM option) in a constant external magnetic field equal (100 Oe and 1000 Oe) in the temperature range from 2 to 380 K. Both the pure Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄and the sample with 85% of PMMA exhibit superparamagnetic behavior whereas blocking temperatureT_B decreases with increase of PMMA content. The cytotoxicity assessment of PMMA@Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄ with hyamine in J774.E murine macrophages and U2OS human osteosarcoma cell lines was performed. Additionally, sensitivity of bacteria Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 to hybrid materials (with/without hyamine) was investigated using a of Kirby-Bauer disc method.

Alginate-based nanocomposites for efficient removal of heavy metal ions

Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CF), titanate nanotubes (T), alginate (G) and their nanocomposite microparticles (CF/G and T/G) were prepared and used for efficient removal of Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺ and As³⁺ ions from water. The nanocomposites were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), FTIR and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). In addition, the effects of pH, contact time, adsorbent weight and heavy metal ion concentration on the removal efficiency were investigated. Our results revealed a successful preparation of the nanocomposite particles. The optimized batch experiment conditions were found to be pH of 6.5, contact time of 2h and adsorbent weight of 0.15g. The removal efficiencies for Cu²⁺ using G, CF, T, CF/G and T/G were found to be 91%, 100%, 99.9%, 95% and 98%, respectively. While that of Fe³⁺ removal was 60%, 100%, 100%, 60% and 82%, respectively. Efficient removal of As³⁺ ions was also attained (98% upon using T nanoadsorbents). The current study demonstrated that the developed nanomaterials (CF and T) and their corresponding alginate-based nanocomposite microparticles could be further tailored and used as efficient adsorbents for the uptake of different heavy metal ions from wastewater.

Photocatalytic degradation of Maxilon C.I. basic dye using CS/CoFe2O4/GONCs as a heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalyst prepared by gamma irradiation

CS/CF/GONCs were synthesized via gamma irradiation cross-linking method with the aid of sonication. The nanocomposites exhibited a photo-Fenton catalytic feature for the degradation of Maxilon C.I. basic dye in aqueous medium using sunlight. The effects of pH, H2O2 concentration, and dosage of the catalyst, on the degradation rates of the dyes were examined. The optimal degradation rate was reached with 10mM H2O2 at pH 9.5. It was verified that the Maxilon C.I. basic dye degradation rate fits a pseudo-first-order kinetics for different initial concentrations of Maxilon C.I. dye. Fourth cyclic tests for Maxilon C.I. degradation showed that the magnetic catalyst was very stable, recoverable, highly active, and easy to separate using an external magnet. Hence, this magnetic catalyst has potential use in organic pollutant removal.

Could microwave induced catalytic oxidation (MICO) process over CoFe2O4 effectively eliminate brilliant green in aqueous solution?

In this study, we adopted the chemical co-precipitation (CP) method and sol-gel method followed by calcination at temperatures of 100-900°C for 12h to synthesize CoFe2O4 materials, which were further characterized by TEM, XRD and XPS techniques. The properties of CoFe2O4 materials were evaluated in a microwave (MW) induced catalytic oxidation (MICO) process for the elimination of brilliant green (BG). The results showed that: (1) the removal rates of BG gradually decreased over a series of CoFe2O4 materials prepared by CP method and calcinated with 100-700°C (except 900°C) for 12h within three reuse cycles; for comparison, no removal of BG was obtained over CoFe2O4 synthesized by sol-gel method and CoFe2O4-900 (CP); (2) no hydroxyl radicals were captured with salicylic acid used as molecular probe in the MICO process; (3) MW irradiation enhanced the release of residual NaOH within the microstructure of CoFe2O4 and further discolored BG, because BG is sensitive to pH; (4) granular activated carbon (GAC), an excellent MW-absorbing material possessing higher dielectric loss tangent compared to that of a series of CoFe2O4 materials, could not remove BG in suspensions at a higher efficiency, even if the loading amount was 20 g L(-1). Accordingly, MICO process over CoFe2O4 materials and GAC could not effectively eliminate BG in suspensions.

CoFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles as a highly active heterogeneous catalyst of oxone for the degradation of diclofenac in water

A magnetic nanoscaled catalyst cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) was successfully prepared and used for the activation of oxone to generate sulfate radicals for the degradation of diclofenac. The catalyst was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer. The effects of calcination temperature, initial pH, catalyst and oxone dosage on the degradation efficiency were investigated. Results demonstrated that CoFe2O4-300 exhibited the best catalytic performance and almost complete removal of diclofenac was obtained in 15 min. The degradation efficiency increased with initial pH decreasing in the pH range of 5-9. The increase of catalyst and oxone dosage both had the positive effect on the degradation of diclofenac. Moreover, CoFe2O4 could retain high degradation efficiency even after being reused for five cycles. Finally, the major diclofenac degradation intermediates were identified and the primary degradation pathways were proposed.