Dysprosium doped CoFe2O4 with enhanced magnetic property and photodegradation activity of methyl orange

Visible-light-initiated degradation of dyes has received much attention because of environmental friendliness and low cost. Here, dysprosium (Dy) doped CoFe2O4 composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity that are capable of fast magnetically recovering have been successfully synthesized by partially substitution Fe3+ in the crystalline lattice with Dy3+. The as-prepared CoFe1.97Dy0.03O4 nanoparticles possess a significantly improved magnetic property, which facilitates the separation of solid-liquid mixtures. Meanwhile, an obviously enhanced photocatalytic activity toward methyl orange degradation has been observed. The introduction of Dy in the lattice of CoFe2O4 can not only improve the light adsorption of the photocatalysts but also increase the carrier density, leading to enhanced performance for photodegradation of methyl orange. (c) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.