Investigation on the Magnetically Separable Zn Substituted CoFe₂O₄ Nanoparticles with Enhanced Photo-Fenton Degradation.

We report the influence of Co1-xZnxFe2O4 nanoferrites for the photodegradation of organic pollutant present in the aqueous solution. A series of Co1-xZnxFe2O4 (x = 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.10) nanoferrites have been synthesized via a facile and economically viable coprecipitation technique and investigated the effect of zinc dopant in their structural, optical, electrical and magnetic properties. X-ray diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared spectral studies reveal the spinel phase formation of the as-synthesized nanoferrites. Photoluminescence and UV-visible spectral studies show the bandgap of nanoferrites increase from 2.47-2.67 eV and exhibited a blue shift in the band edge emission with respect to increase in Zn content. Phase transition of the samples from weak ferromagnetic to superparamagnetic nature has been observed by Vibrating Sample Magnetometer at room temperature. Furthermore, the Co1-xZnxFe2O4 was assessed for the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye and the sample with Co1-0.10Zn0.10Fe2O4 showed better photocatalytic degradability of organic MB due to its enhanced adsorption in the visible region and the existence of lower concentration charge-carriers.