Comparison of the Solubility of ZnFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>, Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> and Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> in High Temperature Water

As the solubility is a direct measure of stability, this study compares the solubilities of ZnFe₂O₄, Fe₃O₄ and Fe₂O₃ in high temperature water. Through literature analysis and formula derivation, it is shown that it is reasonable to assume ZnFe₂O₄ and Fe(OH)₃ coexist when ZnFe₂O₄ is dissolved in water. Results indicated that the solubility of ZnFe₂O₄ is much lower than that of Fe₂O₃ or Fe₃O₄. The low solubility of ZnFe₂O₄ indicates that it is more protectively stable as an anticorrosion phase. Moreover, the gap between the solubility of ZnFe₂O₄ and that of Fe₃O₄ or Fe₂O₃ was enlarged with an increase of temperature. This means that ZnFe₂O₄ is more protective at higher temperatures. Further analysis indicated that with the increase of temperature, the solubility of ZnFe₂O₄ changed little while those of Fe₂O₃ or Fe₃O₄ changed a lot. Little change of the solubility of ZnFe₂O₄ with increase of temperature showed that ZnFe₂O₄ is stable. The very low and constant solubility of ZnFe₂O₄ suggests that it is more protective than Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄, especially in water at higher temperature.     

Effect of SO<Subscript>2</Subscript> on chlorination of zinc ferrite ZnFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> and a mixture of ZnO and Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>

Results of thermodynamic calculations and kinetic studies of the reaction of zinc ferrite ZnFe₂O₄ and of a mixture of oxides, ZnO and Fe₂O₃, with chlorine and SO₂ are presented.     

Synthesis and characterization of Ni<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>Zn<Subscript>0.4</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nano-particles obtained by auto catalytic thermal decomposition of carboxylato-hydrazinate complex

Ni_0.6Zn_0.4Fe₂O₄ nano-particles have been synthesized by self-propagating auto-combustion of nickel zinc ferrous fumarato-hydrazinate complex. The precursor complex has been characterized by chemical analysis, IR, AAS, thermal analysis and isothermal mass loss studies. The precursor on ignition undergoes self-propagating auto combustion to give Ni_0.6Zn_0.4Fe₂O₄. The X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the single phase formation of nano-size ‘as synthesized’ Ni_0.6Zn_0.4Fe₂O₄. TEM observation showed the average particle size to be 20 nm. Infrared and magnetization studies were also carried out on the ‘as synthesized’ Ni_0.6Zn_0.4Fe₂O₄. The lower value of saturation magnetization and higher Curie temperature of ‘as synthesized’ ferrite also hint at the nano size nature.     

Preparation of ZnFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles by mechanical alloying and annealing for sensitizing C-modified TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and acquirement of efficient photocatalyst

ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles sensitized by C-modified TiO₂ hybrids (ZnFe₂O₄–TiO₂/C) were successfully prepared by a feasible method. The ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were prepared by mechanical alloying and annealing. The residual organic compounds in the synthetic process of TiO₂ were selected as the carbon source. The as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible light diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis) and N₂ adsorption–desorption analysis. The photocatalytic activity of the photocatalysts was measured by degradation of methyl orange under ultraviolet (UV) light and simulated solar irradiation, respectively. The results show that the carbon did not enter the TiO₂ lattice but adhered to the surface of TiO₂. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared C-modified TiO₂ (TiO₂/C) improved both under UV and simulated solar light irradiation, but the improvement was not dramatic. Introduction of ZnFe₂O₄ into the TiO₂/C could enhance the absorption spectrum range. The ZnFe₂O₄–TiO₂/C hybrids exhibited a higher photocatalytic activity both than that of the pure TiO₂ and TiO₂/C under either UV or simulated solar light irradiation. The complex synergistic effect plays an important role in improving the photocatalytic performance of ZnFe₂O₄–TiO₂/C composites. The optimum photocatalytic performance was obtained from the ZnFe₂O₄(0.8 wt%)–TiO₂/C sample.     

Synthesis and characterization of Co<Subscript>0.8</Subscript>Zn<Subscript>0.2</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles

Cobalt zinc ferrite, Co_0.8Zn_0.2Fe₂O₄, nanoparticles have been synthesized via autocatalytic decomposition of the precursor, cobalt zinc ferrous fumarato hydrazinate. The X-ray powder diffraction of the ‘as prepared’ oxide confirms the formation of single phase nanocrystalline cobalt zinc ferrite nanoparticles. The thermal decomposition of the precursor has been studied by isothermal, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis. The precursor has also been characterized by FTIR, and chemical analysis and its chemical composition has been determined as Co_0.8Zn_0.2Fe₂(C₄H₂O₄)₃·6N₂H_4. The Curie temperature of the ‘as-prepared oxide’ was determined by AC susceptibility measurements.     

Effect of heat treatment on particle growth and magnetic properties of electrospun Sr<Subscript>0.8</Subscript>La<Subscript>0.2</Subscript>Zn<Subscript>0.2</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>11.8</Subscript>O<Subscript>19</Subscript> nanofibers

Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) composite fiber precursors were prepared by the sol–gel assisted electrospinning. Subsequently, the M-type ferrite Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉ nanofibers with diameters about 120 nm were obtained by calcination of these precursors at different heat treatment conditions. The precursor and resultant Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉ nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer and vibrating sample magnetometer. With the calcination temperature increased up to 1,000 °C for 2 h or the holding time prolonged to 12 h at 900 °C, the Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉ particles gradually grow into a hexagonal elongated plate-like morphology due to the dimensional control along the nanofiber length. These elongated plate-like particles will be linked one by one to form the nanofiber with a necklace-like morphology. The magnetic properties of the Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉ nanofibers are closely related to grain sizes, impurities and defects in the ferrite, which are influenced by the calcination temperature, holding time and heating rate. After calcined at 900 °C for 12 h with a heating rate of 3 °C/min, the optimized magnetic properties are achieved with the specific saturation magnetization 75.0 A m² kg⁻¹ and coercivity 426.3 kA m⁻¹ for the Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉ nanofibers.     

Particle size,morphology, and properties of transition metal ferrospinels of the MFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> (M = Co,Ni, Zn) type,produced by glycine-nitrate combustion

Ferrites-spinels of the MFe₂O₄ type (M = Co, Ni, Zn), produced by glycine-nitrate combustion were studied. A physicochemical study of ferrite samples was performed by X-ray fluorescence analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray phase analysis, and X-ray spectroscopy. The average size of the coherent scanning region was found to be (nm): 28 ± 2 for CoFe₂O₄, 32 ± 2 for NiFe₂O₄, and 26 ± 2 for ZnFe₂O₄. Magnetic characteristics were determined by the NMR method. The specific residual magnetization, specific saturation magnetization, and coercive force were, respectively, 14.1 A m² kg^?1, 20.1 A m² kg^?1, 31800 A m^?1 for CoFe₂O₄; 4.4 A m² kg^?1, 23.1 A m² kg^?1, 6550 A m^?1 for NiFe₂O₄; and 5.1 A m² kg^?1, 18.3 A m² kg^?1, 3200 A m^?1 for ZnFe₂O₄. Their magnetic properties show that the resulting ferrospinel powders can be used in the following fields of technology: CoFe₂O₄ in those areas where heat transfer is necessary (hyperthermia) and in development of data storage media; NiFe₂O₄ and ZnFe₂O₄ in those areas where low heat exchange is necessary, ZnFe₂O₄ for fast remagnetization and NiFe₂O₄ as a core or shell for transportation of other substances. The ferrospinel samples compare well in magnetic properties with their foreign commercial analogs, which makes these compounds commercially viable.     

One-pot sequential synthesis of magnetically separable Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/AgCl photocatalysts with enhanced activity and stability

Magnetically separable Fe₃O₄/AgCl photocatalysts were prepared by a one-pot sequential method. A series of techniques proved the hybrid structure of Fe₃O₄/AgCl composites. Fe₃O₄/AgCl composites had a much higher photocatalytic activity toward Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation than pure AgCl under the simulated solar light irradiation. The existence of metal Ag resulted in high photocatalytic activity of Fe₃O₄/AgCl, which was related with the amount of metallic Ag. The scavenging experiments showed that the degradation reaction most probably was initiated by the photoinduced single-electron transfer, and the generation of superoxide anion (O ₂ ^-· ) played a significant role. The composite photocatalysts could be recycled by applying an external magnetic field, and the reused composites maintained their original photocatalytic activity. Fe₃O₄/AgCl composites were highly efficient, magnetically separable, and recoverable. This proves their potential applications in the photodegradation of organic pollutants.     

Effect of Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> addition on structure and magnetic properties of Ni<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Zn<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanofibers

Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanofibers with addition of 0–5 wt% Bi₂O₃ were synthesized by calcination of the electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone/inorganic composite nanofibers at the temperature below the melting point of Bi₂O₃. The effects of Bi₂O₃ addition on the phase structure, morphology and magnetic properties of the nanofibers were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometer. It is found that the nanofiber diameter, crystallite size and magnetic parameters can be effectively tuned by simply adjusting the amount of Bi₂O₃ addition. The average diameter of Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanofibers doped with different contents of Bi₂O₃ ranges from 40 to 63 nm and gradually decreases with increasing Bi₂O₃ content. The addition of Bi₂O₃ does not induce the phase change and all the samples are a single-phase spinel structure. The amorphous Bi₂O₃ tends to concentrate on the nanoparticle surface and/or grain boundary and can retard the particles motion as well as the grain growth, resulting in a considerable reduction in grain size compared to the pristine sample. The specific saturation magnetization and coercivity of the nanofibers gradually decrease with the increase of Bi₂O₃ amount. Such behaviors are explained on the basis of chemical composition, surface effect, domain structure and crystal anisotropy.     

Obtaining of Ni<Subscript>0.65</Subscript>Zn<Subscript>0.35</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanocomposites by thermal decomposition of complex compounds embedded in silica matrix

This article presents the results of our investigation on the obtaining of Ni_0.65Zn_0.35Fe₂O₄ ferrite nanoparticles embedded in a SiO₂ matrix using a modified sol–gel synthesis method, starting from tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), metal (Fe^III,Ni^II,Zn^II) nitrates and ethylene glycol (EG). This method consists in the formation of carboxylate type complexes, inside the silica matrix, used as forerunners for the ferrite/silica nanocomposites. We prepared gels with different compositions, in order to obtain, through a suitable thermal treatment, the nanocomposites (Ni_0.65Zn_0.35Fe₂O₄)_x–(SiO₂)_100–x (where x=10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 mass%). The synthesized gels were studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetry (TG) and FTIR spectroscopy. The formation of Ni–Zn ferrite in the silica matrix and the behavior in an external magnetic field were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and quasi-static magnetic measurements (50 Hz).     

Structural evolution and magnetic properties of SrFe<Subscript>12</Subscript>O<Subscript>19</Subscript> nanofibers by electrospinning

The SrFe₁₂O₁₉/poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) composite fiber precursors were prepared by the sol-gel assisted electrospinning with ferric nitrate, strontium nitrate and PVP as starting reagents. Subsequently, the M-type strontium ferrite (SrFe₁₂O₁₉) nanofibers were derived from calcination of these precursors at 750–1,000 °C.The composite precursors and strontium ferrite nanofibers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer. The structural evolution process of strontium ferrite consists of the thermal decomposition and M-type strontium ferrite formation. After calcined at 750 °C for 2 h the single M-type strontium ferrite phase is formed by reactions of iron oxide and strontium oxide produced during the precursor decomposition process. The nanofiber morphology, diameter, crystallite size and grain morphology are mainly influenced by the calcination temperature and holding time. The SrFe₁₂O₁₉ nanofibers characterized with diameters of around 100 nm and a necklace-like structure obtained at 900 °C for 2 h, which is fabricated by nanosized particles about 60 nm with the plate-like morphology elongated in the preferred direction perpendicular to the c-axis, show the optimized magnetic property with saturation magnetization 59 A m² kg⁻¹ and coercivity 521 kA m⁻¹. It is found that the single domain critical size for these M-type strontium ferrite nanofibers is around 60 nm.     

H<Subscript>3</Subscript>PMo<Subscript>12</Subscript>O<Subscript>40</Subscript> immobilized chitosan/Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> as a novel efficient,green and recyclable nanocatalyst in the synthesis of pyrano-pyrazole derivatives

A novel nanomagnetic composite heteropolyacid immobilized chitosan/Fe₃O₄ was prepared via a facile one-pot synthetic approach. This magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst, H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀/chitosan/Fe₃O₄ (PMo/chit/Fe₃O₄), was fully characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM and EDX analysis methods. A rapid, efficient and the chemoselective synthesis of different pyrano-pyrazole derivatives was achieved in excellent yields via a one-pot four-component reaction in the presence of catalytic amount of PMo/Chit/Fe₃O₄.     

The microstructure and magnetic properties of Ni<Subscript>0.4</Subscript>Zn<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> films prepared by spin-coating method

Nickel zinc ferrite (Ni_0.4Zn_0.6Fe₂O₄) films on Si (100) substrate were synthesized using a spin-coating method. The crystallinity of the Ni_0.4Zn_0.6Fe₂O₄ films with the thickness of about 386 nm became better as the annealing temperature increased. The films have smooth surface, relatively good packing density and uniform thickness. The volatilization of Zn is serious at 900 °C. With the increase of annealing temperature, the saturation magnetization M _s increases in the temperature ranging from 400 to 700 °C, however, decreases above 700 °C, and the coercivity H _c increases in the temperature range 400–800 °C, decreases above 800 °C. After annealed at 700 °C for 2 h in air with the heating rate 2 °C/min, the film shows a maximum saturation magnetization M _s of 349 emu/cc and low coercivity H _c of 66 Oe. The M _s is higher than others which prepared by this method, however, the H _c is lower. The M _s of Ni_0.4Zn_0.6Fe₂O₄ films annealed at 700 °C increases with increasing annealing time and the H _c changes slightly.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel magnetic Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/polyurethane foam composite applied to the carrier of immobilized microorganisms for wastewater treatment

The objective of this work was to prepare novel magnetic Fe₃O₄/polyurethane foam (Fe₃O₄/PUF) composites applied to the carriers of immobilized microorganisms for toluene-containing wastewater treatment. The morphology and structure of Fe₃O₄/PUF composite were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and magnetic property measurement system. These morphological investigations revealed that Fe₃O₄ nano-particles were well dispersed into the matrix of PUF with nano-scale diameter particles. TG experiments indicated that the initial thermal weight loss temperatures of composite with the content of 2.5 wt% and 7.5% Fe₃O₄ were increased by 7 and 16 °C, compared with pure PUF. The degradation efficiency of toluene with magnetic PUF composite was much higher than that of pure PUF carrier, and the reason why the immobilization of microbial biomass of microorganisms on the magnetic PUF composite was much higher than that of the pure PUF. The prepared magnetic Fe₃O₄/PUF composite offered excellent thermal stability and medium paramagnetic properties. And this composite could not only increase the immobilized biomass of the microorganisms, but also enhance the COD removal efficiency of wastewater.     

Ca- and Al-doped ZnFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles as possible anode materials

Spinel ferrites are an amazing class of materials that can find application in different fields, from sensors and lithium-ion batteries to the intriguing biomedical field. For the use as anode in lithium-ion batteries, ZnFe₂O₄ is rather competitive due to low price, abundance, environmental benignity, working voltage of ~1.5 V, and, most importantly, a high theoretical specific capacity (~1072 mA h g^?1). For its practical application, however, some issues must be overcome, in particular its fast capacity fading and poor rate capability resulting from an inherent low electronic conductivity. Possible strategies are represented by ferrite carbon coating/embedding, peculiar synthesis routes, and doping. In this frame, we synthesized Ca- and Al-doped ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles by using microwave-assisted combustion synthesis, followed by a classical carbon coating (determined as about 5 wt% by thermogravimetry). A good solubility of Ca and Al up to 25 atom% on both Zn and Fe sites was obtained. Cyclic voltammetries evidenced redox reactions involving Zn and Fe ions, but also the Al intervention could be supposed. Galvanostatic charge–discharge cycles proved that particularly Al ions were useful to improve the anode structural stability at high C rate (up to 3C), thanks to the stronger Al–O bonds with respect to Fe–O ones. A further improvement of capacities comes from the use of sodium alginate as binder to substitute polyvinylidene fluoride in the anode preparation.     

Thermal oxide synthesis and characterization of Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanorods and Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> nanowires

Fe₃O₄ nanorods and Fe₂O₃ nanowires have been synthesized through a simple thermal oxide reaction of Fe with C₂H₂O₄ solution at 200–600°C for 1 h in the air. The morphology and structure of Fe₃O₄ nanorods and Fe₂O₃ nanowires were detected with powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The influence of temperature on the morphology development was experimentally investigated. The results show that the polycrystals Fe₃O₄ nanorods with cubic structure and the average diameter of 0.5–0.8 μm grow after reaction at 200–500°C for 1 h in the air. When the temperature was 600°C, the samples completely became Fe₂O₃ nanowires with hexagonal structure. It was found that C₂H₂O₄ molecules had a significant effect on the formation of Fe₃O₄ nanorods. A possible mechanism was also proposed to account for the growth of these Fe₃O₄ nanorods. Supported by the Fund of Weinan Teacher’s University (Grant No. 08YKZ008), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 20573072) and the Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. 20060718010)     

Adsorption behavior of <Superscript>99</Superscript>Tc on Fe,Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>

Summary The adsorption of ⁹⁹Tc on the adsorbers Fe, Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ was studied by batch experiments under aerobic and anoxic conditions. The effects of pH and CO₃^2- concentration of the simulated ground water on the adsorption ratios were also investigated, and the valences of Tc in solution after the adsorption equilibrium were studied by solvent extraction. The adsorption isotherms of TcO₄- on the adsorbers Fe, Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ were determined. Experimental results have shown that the adsorption ratio of Tc on Fe decreases with the increase of pH in the range of 5-12 and increases with the decrease of the CO₃^2- concentration in the range of 10^-8M-10^-2M. Under aerobic conditions, the adsorption ratios of ⁹⁹Tc on Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ were not influenced by pH and CO₃^2-concentration. When Fe was used as adsorbent, Tc existed mainly in the form of Tc(IV) after equilibrium and in the form of Tc(VII) when the adsorbent was Fe₂O₃ or Fe₃O₄ under aerobic conditions. The adsorption ratios of Tc on Fe, Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ decreased with the increase of pH in the range of 5-12 and increased with the decrease of the CO₃^2- concentration in the range of 10^-8M-10^-2M under anoxic conditions. Tc existed mainly in the form of Tc(IV) after equilibrium when Fe, Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ was the adsorbent under anoxic conditions. The adsorption isotherms of TcO_4- on the adsorbers Fe, Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ are fairly in agreement with the Freundlich’s equation under both aerobic and anoxic conditions.     

One-Pot Synthesis of Novel Amino-Functionalized Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> Hybrid Microspheres for Cu(II) Removal from Aqueous Solutions

In this work, we report the development of novel amino-functionalized Fe₃O₄ hybrid microspheres adsorbent from a facial and one-step solvothermal route by using FeCl₃·6H₂O as a single iron source and 3-aminophenoxy-phthalonitrile as ource of amino groups. During solvothermal process, the nitrile groups of 3-aminophenoxy-phthalonitrile would bond with the Fe₃O₄ through the phthalocyanine cyclization reaction to form the amino-functionalized Fe₃O₄ magnetic nano-material, which was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA). From the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation, the resulting monodispersed amino-functionalized Fe₃O₄ hybrid microspheres with the diameters of 180–200 nm were synthesized via the self-assembly process. More importantly, as-prepared Fe₃O₄ nano-materials with abundant amino groups exhibited high separation efficiency when they were used to remove the Cu(II) from aqueous solutions. Furthermore, the adsorption isotherms of Fe₃O₄ nano-material for Cu(II) removal fitted the Langmuir isotherm model, in which the calculated maximum adsorption capacity could increase from 5.51 to 16.25 mg g^–1 at room temperature. This work demonstrated that the amino-functionalized Fe₃O₄ magnetic nano-materials were promising as efficient adsorbents for the removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater in low concentration.     

Surfactant Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis of Superparamagnetic ZnFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> Nanoparticles as an Efficient Visible-Light Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Organic Pollutant

Super paramagnetic ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were prepared by a surfactant assisted (ethylamine) hydrothermal method along with heat treatment. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high resolution scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer and diffuse reflectance spectra technique. From the analyses, influence of calcination temperature on the structural, vibrational, morphological, magnetic and optical properties of ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were investigated. The ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles with an average particle size of 17 nm showed high photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue (90 %). This work demonstrates that ZnFe₂O4 can be used as a potential monocomponent in visible-light photocatalysis for the degradation of organic pollutants. Furthermore, the products were super paramagnetic and could be conveniently separated within 15 min and recycled by using simple magnet, which is very beneficial for the degradation of organic pollutants.     

Thiol-functionalized Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> microspheres with superparamagnetism and their adsorption properties for Au(III) ion separation

Thiol-functionalized Fe₃O₄/SiO₂ microspheres (Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-SH) with high saturation magnetization (69.3 emu g^–1), superparamagnetism, and good dispersibility have been prepared by an ethylene glycol reduction method in combination with a modified Stöber method. The as-prepared composite magnetic spheres are characterized with fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), zeta potential, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and superconducting quantum interference magnetometer, and tested in separation of Au(III) ions from aqueous solutions. The data for Au(III) adsorption on Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-SH are analyzed with the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models, and the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion kinetics models. The adsorption behaviors of Au(III) on Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-SH follow the Langmuir isotherm model, and the adsorption process conforms to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum adsorption capacity of Au(III) on Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-SH is 43.7 mg g^–1. Acetate anions play an important role yet Cu(II) ions have little interference in the adsorption of Au(III) on the adsorbent. A satisfactory recovery percentage of 89.5% is acquired by using an eluent with 1 M thiourea and 5% HCl, although thiols have a high affinity to Au(III) ions based on the hard-soft acid-base (HSAB) theory by Pearson.