Photo-degradation of Congored, acid brown and acid violet: photo catalyst and magnetic investigation of CuFe₂O₄–TiO₂–Ag nanocomposites

Copper ferrite (CuFe₂O₄) nanoparticles were first synthesized via a microwave-assisted method. Then CuFe₂O₄–TiO₂ nanocomposites were prepared using sol–gel method. The silver nanoparticles were produced through reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO₃) with sodium borohydride (NaBH₄). By addition NaBH₄–AgNO₃ in the presence of the CuFe₂O₄–TiO₂, nanocomposite of CuFe₂O₄–TiO₂–Ag was produced by a simple precipitation method. This nanocomposite was also prepared using hydrothermal method. The prepared products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Alternating gradient force magnetometer was used to study the magnetic property of the products. The results illustrated superparamagnetic behaviour of CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticles. The photo-catalytic behaviour of CuFe₂O₄–TiO₂–Ag nanocomposites was evaluated using the degradation of three various azo dyes under ultraviolet light and visible light irradiation. These results suggest that the prepared nanocomposites are applicable for magnetic and photo-catalytic performance in both visible and UV light.