Solar photoactive magnesium substituted copper ferrite photocatalysts for Rose Bengal treatment

Abstract

In the present investigation, we have reported solar photo active, cost effective and magnetically recoverable magnesium substituted copper ferrites successfully prepared by simple co-precipitation method. The prepared materials were characterized for structural and microstructural analysis using PXRD, SEM, EDS, FT-IR and UV–Visible spectroscopy. It was observed that, when copper introduces into magnesium ferrite system light absorption shifted to visible region, this is due to formation of metastable energy levels just below the conduction band of magnesium ferrites. As a result an MgCuFe2O4 catalyst exhibits excellent efficiency under solar light irradiation. These catalysts are stable for longer period even after many runs and magnetically separable. Based on the analysis result these nanomaterials can be used as potential environmental and energy applications under natural sunlight irradiation.