Iran Scientists develop nanoparticles to treat wastewater

Researchers ​from Iran ​University of ​Science and ​Technology have ​produced ​nanoparticles ​have developed ​nanoparticles ​which show ​photocatalytic ​properties at ​the range of ​visible light ​and can be ​recycled and ​reused due to ​their magnetic ​properties. ​

Titanium ​dioxide (TiO2) ​is known as the ​best photocatalyst ​among all other ​photocatalysts ​due to its ​unique ​properties, ​including ​perfect ​catalytic ​activity, non-​toxicity and ​low price. ​However, the ​separation of ​photocatalytic ​powders and ​using them ​again after ​water ​purification ​treatment cause ​serious ​problems. The ​use of magnetic ​powders coating ​with titanium ​oxide under the ​title magnetic ​photocatalysts ​has been ​recently ​proposed to ​overcome this ​problem. The ​photocatalysts ​can be ​separated from ​water by using ​an external ​magnetic field. ​

In this ​research, ​bismuth ferrite ​was used ​instead of ​titanium oxide, ​which has two ​advantages over ​titanium oxide. ​First of all, ​bismuth ferrite ​has magnetic ​properties at ​nanometric ​scale, so it ​does not ​require a ​magnetic core. ​The second ​advantage is ​that bismuth ​ferrite shows a ​very good ​photocatalytic ​behavior at the ​range of ​visible light, ​contrary to ​titanium oxide ​whose majority ​of photocatalytic ​properties are ​at the range of ​ultraviolet ​light. ​

This research ​presents a ​cheap method by ​using ​relatively cost-​effective raw ​materials at ​low temperature ​for the ​synthesis of ​bismuth ferrite ​nanoparticles. ​According to ​the results, ​these ​nanoparticles ​show an ​appropriate ​performance in ​the purification ​of wastewater. ​

Taking into ​consideration ​the advantages ​of bismuth ​ferrite over ​titanium oxide ​and the fact ​that it is non-​toxic and ​harmless to the ​environment, it ​is expected ​that it can ​play an ​important role ​in decreasing ​the water and ​air pollution ​as well as ​costs after its ​mass-production.​