Preparation of core-shell structured CoFe2O4 incorporated Ag3PO4 nanocomposites for photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes

• The Ag3PO4-CoFe2O4 nanocomposites with a core-shell structure were prepared in the present study.
• The Ag3PO4-CoFe2O4 nanocomposites had much higher degradation efficiency to the organic dyes under light irradiation.
• The prepared nanocomposites were magnetically separable, and showed promising recycling stability.

The core-shell structured CoFe2O4 incorporated Ag3PO4 nanocomposites were prepared through a precipitation approach. The structure of the prepared nanocomposites was investigated and the photocatalytic activity of the Ag3PO4-CoFe2O4 nanocomposites was studied through degrading methylene blue and rhodamine B dyes. The results showed that the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were incorporated within the Ag3PO4 particles with a core-shell structure, narrowing the band gap of the Ag3PO4 at the same time. Compared with pure Ag3PO4, the Ag3PO4-CoFe2O4 nanocomposites had higher degradation efficiency to the dyes under the irradiation of the tungsten halogen lamp light. Moreover, due to the existence of the CoFe2O4, the Ag3PO4-CoFe2O4 nanocomposites were magnetically separable. The separated Ag3PO4-CoFe2O4 nanocomposites showed promising recycling stability for the photocatalysis degradation of the dyes. This study provides a novel nanocomposite which could photocatalytically degrade organic pollutants in wastewater without introducing secondary pollutant into the system.

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