Assel A. Hadi* and Nada Y. Fairooz

Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Babylon, Hilla, Iraq

*Corresponding author: E-mail: zozo_assel@yahoo.com

The investigation of synthesis of the spinel Co_1-xCd_xFe₂O₄ photocatalyst by co-precipitation method at various proportions of (x = 0.2:0.8, 0.5:0.5, 0.8:0.2) and calcinations at temperature 600 ºC for 3 h. The synthesized powder was characterized by X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, UV-visible spectroscopy, SEM, EDS, AFM and HPLC. The photocatalytic activity was estimated under high pressure mercury lamp OSRAM (125) watts for degradation phenol red solution at the wavelength of λ_max 432 nm. The conclusion demonstrated that (0.5:0.5) rate at 600 ºC has high action than other proportion at various temperature. After this examination, a few measures, for example, better of mass for the catalyst, initial of concentration for spinel Co_1-xCd_xFe₂O₄, effect of pH and effect of temperature. The X-ray and electron microscopy studies showed an average size of the granules prepared for the composite in this manner (18.16-39.64). The electrical characteristics (L.C.R) were additionally examined for all the spinels. Cadmium alone was an electrical insulator but by adding cobalt with iron it turned into a semiconductor of an electric current.

Photocatalytic degradation, Phenol red, Co-precipitation method, Nanocomposite.