Preparation of Fe3 O4 /TiO2 /C Nanocomposites and Their Application in Fenton-Like Catalysis for Dye Decoloration

Abstract

Fe2+-H2 O2 Fenton system is widely applied in water treatment nowadays, but the acidification and sludge generation are crucial problems to be solved. Herein, we report that Fe3 O4 /TiO2 /C nanocomposites (FTCNCs) were able to catalyze the decomposition of H2 O2 at neutral pH and can be applied in dye decoloration. FTCNCs were prepared by precipitating TiO2 on Fe3 O4 cores via the hydrolysis of tetrabutyl titanate followed by the hydrothermal dehydrogenization of glucose to deposit carbon on Fe3 O4 /TiO2. The decoloration of methylene blue (MB) in the FTCNC-H2 O2 Fenton-like system was monitored to reflect the catalytic activity of FTCNC. The radical generation capability was analyzed by electron spin resonance. Our results indicated that FTCNC-H2 O2 Fenton-like system was efficient in decolorizing MB, and the radicals led to the near complete oxidation of MB. The FTCNC-H2 O2 Fenton-like system could be used in a wide pH range of 4–9. A greater catalyst amount, a higher H2 O2 concentration, and a higher temperature accelerated the decoloration kinetics. FTCNCs showed good activity after the regeneration of 8 cycles. The implication to the practical applications of FTCNCs in water treatment is discussed.