Magnetically Recoverable Fe3O4/Carbon Nanocomposites for Efficient Adsorption and Catalytic Hydrogenation of Dyes
摘要
The removal of organic dyes from wastewater poses a significant environmental challenge due to their high durability and toxicity. This study investigated magnetic Fe3O4-based nanocomposites, e.g., Fe3O4, Fe3O4@CFs, Fe3O4@CNTs, and Fe3O4@G, for their efficacy in adsorbing and catalytically hydrogenating Eriochrome Black T (ET) and Phenol Red (PR) in aqueous solution. The superparamagnetic properties of the material enable the separation of materials from solutions using an external magnetic field. The materials can be removed from the solution using an external magnet. The adsorption performance demonstrated capacities of 20–70 mg/g for ET and 15–65 mg/g for PR, indicating the enhanced adsorption efficacy of carbon-supported magnetic nanocomposites. The characterization of the materials post-adsorption, utilizing FT-IR and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, verified the presence of dye molecules on the adsorbent surfaces without any structural alterations to the materials. The catalytic hydrogenation of the dyes was assessed using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as a reducing agent. The removal efficiencies via catalytic hydrogenation were 100% for ET and PR. The magnetic nanocomposites demonstrated exceptional recyclability over 4 cycles, with negligible decline in catalytic efficiency, and their magnetic characteristics facilitated straightforward recovery using an external magnet. The results indicate that Fe3O4–carbon nanocomposites are effective, reusable catalysts and adsorbents for the efficient removal of dyes in wastewater treatment applications.