Copper Ferrite Nanoparticles: Synthesis and Study of Their Photocatalytic Activity

Abstract

Magnetic copper(II) ferrite nanoparticles are promising materials for biomedical, electronic, and photocatalytic applications. In this work, homogeneous spherical CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticles 18.3 ± 0.4 nm in size with a band gap of 2.37 eV have been synthesized by anion-exchange precipitation using an AV-17-8 anion-exchange resin in the OH form in the presence of dextran-40. The photocatalytic activity of the resulting material has been studied for photodegradation of a widely used anionic dye—indigo carmine—in the presence of sacrificial reagents: sodium citrate, carbonate, and hydrogen carbonate. Combined use of electron donors, sodium hydrogen carbonate and citrate, which reduce the probability of recombination of photogenerated holes and electrons, has turned out to be effective. The kinetic parameters of the process have been determined (pseudo-zero order, k_app. = 3.6 × 10^–7 mol/(L min), T_1/2 = 75.8 ± 2.3 min) and its mechanism has been elucidated. The intermediates of the photocatalytic oxidation of indigo carmine have been identified by NMR.