Photocatalytic efficiency of iron oxides: Degradation of 4-chlorophenol

The photocatalytic activity of ferrihydrite Fe5O7(OH)×4H2O synthesized by homogeneous precipitation with urea and products obtained by calcinations of as-precipitated ferrihydrite at different temperatures (200–1000 °C) was studied. The microstructure and surface properties of raw precipitate and all heated samples were characterized by means of HRTEM, SEM, BET/BJH and RTG analyses. Kinetics of disappearance of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) in aqueous solution was used as a test reaction. We have found that hematite Fe2O3 obtained at 1000 °C exhibited satisfied photocatalytic efficiency on the degradation of 4-CP.