Synthesized of Iron Oxide / Cobalt Oxide Nanocomposites Using Co-precipitation method, for Enhanced Removal of Malachite Green Dye via Adsorption

Abstract

      The current study involves the synthesis of iron oxide–cobalt oxide nanocomposites (FeO–CoO) in three different ratios (1:1, 2:1, and 1:2). These materials were synthesized using the co-precipitation method. The synthesized materials above were characterized by using different analytical and spectroscopic methods such as the X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), BET surface area, and FTIR spectroscopy. Catalytic activity of the prepared materials was probed via screening removal of Malachite Green (MG) dye from simulated industrial wastewaters applying adsorption technique over these prepared materials. To screen adsorption efficiency many adsorption parameters were carried out. These including used weight of the materials, concentration of MG dye, acidity of the simulated polluted solution, and the effect of temperature of adsorption process. From the recorded findings, the best ratio of (FeO–CoO) nanocomposite materials was (2:1). This ratio showed the best removal activity in term of removing this dye over this material, this was around 85%, in case of using 0.20 g of catalyst, 20 ppm of MG dye, with acidic function of 6 and adsorption temperature at 25°C. In terms of adsorption isotherm, recorded results was fitted with adsorption model according to Freundlich adsorption isotherm. Activation energy was estimated according to Arrhenius plot, and it was around 23 KJ/mol. This value of energy falls in the range of physical adsorption.