Star Anise Fruit Extract Mediated Synthesis of CoFe2O4 and GO-CoFe2O4 and Their Comparative Study on Adsorptive Dye Removal Performance
摘要
An eco-friendly approach was employed to develop cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles (CF MNPs) and graphene oxide (GO) based CoFe2O4 magnetic nanocomposites (GO-CF MNCs) using star anise fruit extract (SAFE) as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. GO was synthesized via an improved Hummer’s method, while CF MNPs and GO-CF MNCs were prepared through a green co-precipitation route. The active involvement of SAFE in nanoparticle formation was confirmed through Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, which showed a significant reduction in the intensity of phytochemical functional groups alongside the appearance of new characteristic bands confirming the formation of CF MNPs and GO-CF MNCs. Structural and morphological analyses was done using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, Dynamic light scattering (DLS), and UV–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The comparative adsorption performance of CF MNPs and GO-CF MNCs for the methylene blue (MB) dye was investigated, with an emphasis on pH, contact time, and surface charge interactions. The point of zero charge (pH@PZC) for GO-CF MNCs was determined, supporting the adsorption mechanism. Time-dependent studies revealed that GO-CF MNCs achieved a significantly higher removal efficiency (97%) than CF MNPs (89%) within 180 min. These findings underscore the potential of GO-CF MNCs as highly efficient, magnetically recoverable, and sustainable adsorbents for wastewater treatment applications.