The microstructure of ferrihydrite and its catalytic reactivity

Ferrihydrites were prepared by different mixing procedures of ferric and sodium hydroxide solutions. The microstructure of ferrihydrites was characterized by XRD, TG-DTA, BET surface and EXAFS. The catalytic activity of ferrihydrites toward degradation of Mordant Yellow 10 (MY10) and decomposition of hydrogen peroxide was evaluated. The results show that ferrihydrites, prepared by different procedures, display various physico-chemical properties, which can be well explained by the standard multiphase structural model of ferrihydrite.