Tahoura Saemian - Department of Chemistry, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran- Department of Nanomaterials and Nanocoatings Institute for Color Science and Technology (ICST), Tehran, Iran
Moayad Hossaini Sadr - Department of Chemistry, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
Mehrnaz Gharagozlou - Department of Nanomaterials and Nanocoatings Institute for Color Science and Technology (ICST), Tehran, Iran

In this research, magnetic Co-Ferrite@SiO2 core-shell composite was prepared via a modified sol-gelmethod using ethylene glycol and tetraethyl orthosilicate and used as an efficient catalyst for the removalof methylene blue (MB). Various techniques including X-ray diffractometry, FTIR analysis, scanningelectron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer were usedfor identification and characterization of the products. The XRD pattern of the sample confirms theexistence of Co-Ferrite nanoparticles in the silica matrix due to the change of the diffraction peak in thepresence of the silica matrix. The SEM and TEM images show spherical nanoparticles dispersed in thesilica network with a varied size of 30–80 nm; while VSM result implies that the Co-Ferrite@SiO2 is asoft magnetic material. The removal experiments of MB from aqueous samples were performed in thepresence of catalysts and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the removal efficiency of MB on Co-Ferrite@SiO2was about 90% at pH 10 after 60-min interaction time. According to the experimental results, Co-Ferrite@SiO2 composite could be considered as a potential for removing methylene blue dye.

Co-Ferrite@Silica, magnetic core-shell composite, methylene blue, water pollutant, dye removal