Synthesis and characterization of γ-Fe₂O₃/C nanocomposite as an efficient catalyst for the degradation of methylene blue

Magnetic γ-Fe₂O₃/C nanocomposite was successfully synthesized by a facile approach in which Fe₃O₄/Starch was firstly obtained by one-pot precipitation method, and then starch was carbonized through calcination accompanied by the oxidation of Fe₃O₄ to γ-Fe₂O₃. The as-prepared γ-Fe₂O₃/C was introduced to the application of wastewater treatment, and methylene blue (MB) was used to simulate the oxidative degradation process of organic pollutants. Carbon coexisted in the γ-Fe₂O₃/C nanocomposite could well serve as a preconcentrator of MB dyes and consequently the catalytic performance was strongly enhanced. Moreover, the γ-Fe₂O₃/C catalyst could be easily recycled by magnetic separation for effective reuse. This work not only prepared γ-Fe₂O₃/C nanocomposite by a quite facile method, but also successfully employed it as a catalyst for degradation of organic pollutants under mild condition.