Lithium Ferrites for Photocatalytic Dye Degradation

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) ferrites are tiny magnetic particles containing magnetic elements like iron, cobalt, nickel, of which the particle size lies between 1-100 nanometers in diameter. The most commonly and highly appreciated nanoparticle based photo catalysts used for water purification are TiO2, ZnO and ZnS. Though highly referred to, it faces some difficulties, such as separation and recovery after purification treatment, a large energy band gap, and time-consuming recovery, as these types of materials are non-magnetic. It has also been found that sometimes residual catalysts after the purification treatment behave as additional hazardous environmental waste. Hence, the removal of chemical pollutants with the help of nano-magnetic particles is attracting many researchers because the removal and recycling of these particles by application of an external magnetic field is easier, as it possesses ferromagnetic characteristics at room temperature. Hence, ferrites are also used in phenol hydroxylation, hydro desulfurization of crude, and oxidation of various compounds, among others.Only about 2.5% of the Earth’s total freshwater is available, with 0.3-0.5% deemed suitable for drinking purposes. Studies have shown that powder photo catalysts exhibit higher reactivity and efficiency in pollutant degradation and hydrogen production compared to thin films. Advances in powder synthesis techniques, such as sol-gel, hydrothermal, and microwave-assisted methods, have contributed to improved photocatalytic performance.