Magnetoactive Composite Sorbents CoFe2O4–SiO2

Abstract

The magnetic and sorption properties of CoFe2O4 and SiO2 nanocomposites were studied. Composite samples were prepared by precipitation and impregnation using silica of plant or mineral origin. X-ray powder diffraction and IR spectroscopy showed that the composites comprise both amorphous SiO2 and 5.3–59.2% CoFe2O4. The sorptive capacity for methylene blue (8.8–26.7 mg/g) was higher than that of the precursor SiO2. All composites studied were ferromagnetic at room temperature. Their saturation magnetizations increased from 1.2 to 29.0 emu/g as the cobalt ferrite concentration in them increased.