PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION, PROPERTY AND PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY FOR DEGRADATION OF METHYLEN BLUE OF LA-DOPED COFE2O4 NANOPARTICLES

Abstract

CoLaxFe2-xO4 (x=0 ÷0.1) nanoparticles have been prepared by a solution combustion method using
urea as fuel. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission
electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The XRD results showed that the single-phase
La3+ substituted cobalt ferrite nanoparticles exhibit partially inverse spinel structure with the crystallite size of
10 –17 nm, which was also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.
The effects of La substitution on the magnetic properties were investigated by vibrating sample magnetometer
methods. The magnetic measurements show that the saturation magnetization (Ms) decreases from x = 0 to x=
0.07, due to because of the decrease in the total moments with the La3+ substitution. Moreover, the
photocatalytic activity of doped samples increased via the increasing of La concentration, which was
investigated using methylene blue dye under visible lights.