Facile hydrothermal synthesis of Fe3O4@cellulose aerogel nanocomposite and its application in Fenton-like degradation of Rhodamine B

A magnetic cellulose aerogel-supported Fe3O4 nanoparticles composite was designed as a highly efficient and eco-friendly catalyst for Fenton-like degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). The composite (coded as Fe3O4@CA) was formed by embedding well-dispersed Fe3O4 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 Fe3O4 and H2O2 than that in presence of Fe3O4 or H2O2 only, revealing that the Fe3O4@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 Fe3O4 particles. In addition, the Fe3O4@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 H2O2-driven Fenton-like treatment of organic dyestuff wastewater.