Facile synthesis and catalytic property of spinel ferrites by a template method

Four spinel ferrites (CuFe2O4, NiFe2O4, CoFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4) were successfully synthesized by a citrate assisted sol–gel method using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as a templating agent. The four resultant spinel ferrites were systematically characterized by different techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was indicated that all the resultant spinel ferrites obtained by this novel method had the single-phase with high crystallinity. Meantime, highly homogeneous cubic structure with nice morphology was successfully fabricated. The resultant spinel ferrites were highly selective for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol and display significant difference among their activities. It was found that the spinel CoFe2O4 catalyst display the best performance, whereby 93% selectivity of benzaldehyde was achieved at close to 63% conversion.

► Spinel ferrites were synthesized by citrate assisted sol-gel method using EDTA as a template agent.
► Single-phase spinel with high crystallinity was achieved.
► Highly homogeneous cubic structure was successfully fabricated.
► A novel route for fabrication of spinel ferrites was developed.
► Clear difference among catalytic performances in the oxidation of benzyl alcohol.