Facile hydrothermal synthesis of Fe 3 O 4 @cellulose aerogel nanocomposite and its application in Fenton-like degradation of Rhodamine B

Abstract A magnetic cellulose aerogel-supported Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles composite was designed as a highly efficient and eco-friendly catalyst for Fenton-like degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). The composite (coded as Fe 3 O 4 @CA) was formed by embedding well-dispersed Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles into the 3D structure of cellulose aerogels by virtue of a facile and cheap hydrothermal method. Comparative studies indicate that the RhB decolorization ratio is much higher in co-presence of Fe 3 O 4 and H 2 O 2 than that in presence of Fe 3 O 4 or H 2 O 2 only, revealing that the Fe 3 O 4 @CA-catalyzed Fenton-like reaction governed the RhB decolorization process. It was also found that almost 100% RhB removal was achieved in the Fenton-like system. Moreover, the composite exhibited higher catalytic activity than that of the individual Fe 3 O 4 particles. In addition, the Fe 3 O 4 @CA catalyst retained ∼97% of its ability to degrade RhB after the six successive degradation experiments, suggesting its excellent reusability. All these merits indicate that the green and low-cost catalyst with strong magnetic responsiveness possesses good potential for H 2 O 2 -driven Fenton-like treatment of organic dyestuff wastewater.