Synthesis, structural, magnetic and photocatalytic properties of MFe2O4 (M = Co, Mn, Zn) ferrite nanoparticles obtained by plasmachemical method

Abstract

Composite ferrites MFe2O4 (M= Co, Mn, Zn) were synthesized by plasma method. X-ray phase analysis, vibration magnetometry spectroscopic analysis, simplex-lattice planning of the experiment were used to characterize the obtained samples. The photocatalytic activity of the compounds was studied in the decomposition reaction of 4-nitrophenol, which was used as a model organic contaminant. It was found that the obtained ferrite nanoparticles have a spinel structure. The change in the lattice parameter occurs depending on the radius of the substitution cation and the location of the ions on the sublattices. The minimum values of the lattice parameter and the maximum saturation magnetization and coercive force correspond to the double compositions of Mn-Co ferrites. The synthesized nanoferrites have a band gap between 1.55 and 1.9 eV. All Zn1-xCoxFe2O4 ferrites and Zn1-xCoxMn0.5Fe2O4 (0 <1) were found to have high catalytic activity.