Investigation of thermal, structural, morphological and photocatalytic properties of Cu_xCo_1-xFe₂O₄ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanoparticles embedded in SiO₂ matrix

Author(s)

Thomas Dippong, Erika-Andrea Levei, Christian Lengauer, Andrada Daniel, Dana Toloman, Oana Cadar

Abstract

In the present work, Cu2+ substituted Co ferrite (CuxCo1-xFe2O4, x = 0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00) nanoparticles embedded in SiO2 matrix were synthesized via a modified sol-gel method followed by high temp. annealing. The reaction progress was investigated by thermal anal. coupled with mass spectrometry and Fourier transformed IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), while the formation of CuxCo1-xFe2O4/SiO2 nanocomposites (NCs) and of secondary phases as a result of the variation of Cu/Co molar ratios were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction anal. (PXRD) and FT-IR. The particle size and shape were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and SEM (SEM). By varying the Cu/Co molar ratios, the dependence of phase specific parameters (crystallite size, cell parameter, d., porosity) and the evolution of particle shape and size at 1000 °C were investigated by TEM. The photocatalytic activity of the NCs by increasing the Cu content was evaluated through the degrdn. of Rhodamine B under UV-Vis light irradn.

Organisation(s)

Department of Mineralogy and Crystallography

External organisation(s)

Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, INCDO-INOE 2000, Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation Subsidiary (ICIA) Cluj-Napoca, National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies

Journal

Materials Characterization: An International Journal on Materials Structure and Behavior

Volume

163

No. of pages

10

ISSN

1044-5803

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2020.110268

Publication date

03-2020

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

104011 Materials chemistry, 105113 Crystallography

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Condensed Matter Physics, Mechanics of Materials, Mechanical Engineering, General Materials Science

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/d737ad75-4d44-4bb8-8041-13920283984d