Development and application of multifunctional Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/TiO₂/Cu nanocomposites for sustainable water treatment

This investigation entailed the synthesis of Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/TiO₂ via the sol-gel technique, and the Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/TiO₂/Cu nanocomposite utilizing Cu(NO₃)₂.3H₂O through the photodeposition approach. Subsequent to synthesis, these specimens underwent comprehensive characterization employing an array of analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDS), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The focal point of this study was the assessment of the catalytic proficiency of both Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/TiO₂ and Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/TiO₂/Cu magnetically responsive nanocatalysts in facilitating the degradation of Reactive Methylene Blue (MB) under ultraviolet irradiation at ambient temperature. A notable attribute of these magnetic nanocomposites is their capacity for complete recovery, enabled by the application of an external magnetic field, thereby demonstrating significant potential for practical applications in environmental remediation.