Tuning the photocatalytic performance through magnetization in Co-Zn ferrite nanoparticles

In this work, the link between the photocatalytic performance of Co-Zn ferrite nanoparticles and the net magnetic moment is analyzed. CoxZn1-xFe2O4 nanoparticles (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) were synthesized by co-precipitation method and different physicochemical techniques were employed to characterize the samples (X-ray diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), BET surface area, Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS), Photoluminescence spectroscopy, Z-potential, SQUID magnetometry). Enhanced photocatalytic degradation (maximum degradation ratios of two emerging pollutants, phenol and toluene) are found in those nanoparticles (0.4 ≤ x ≤ 0.6) with optimum magnetic response (i.e. superparamagnetism at room temperature and high saturation magnetization). The magnetization of the nanoparticles turns out to be the determining factor in the optimization of the photocatalytic response, since there is no clear relationship with other physicochemical parameters (i.e. specific surface area, isoelectric point, band gap energy or photoluminescence). These results support the current field of research related to photocatalytic performance enhancement through magnetic field effects.The work has been performed under grant PID2020-116321RB-C21 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033. Authors would like to acknowledge the use of Servicio General de Apoyo a la Investigación-SAI, Universidad de Zaragoza for the microscopy and X-Ray fluorescence analysis. Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy analyses were carried out in the Chemical Synthesis and Homogeneous Catalysis Institute (ISQCH) Universidad de Zaragoza-CSIC. (Dr. Eugenio Vispe). L. Cervera-Gabalda acknowledges Public University of Navarre for her Ph.D contract “Contratos Pre-doctorales adscritos a Grupos e Institutos de Investigación de la Universidad Pública de Navarra” and Government of Navarre “Ayudas al Plan de Formación y de Investigación y Desarrollo (I + D)” for the pre-doctoral research stay support at the Department of Process Engineering and Chemical Technology at Gdansk University of Technology. AZJ acknowledges the Polish National Science Centre (grant no. NCN 2018/30/E/ST5/00845)