Synthesis of Silica Microspheres Containing Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Removal of Organic Pollutant by Adsorption and Photocatalytic Decomposition

Iron oxide nanoparticles were incorporated to form composite microspheres of SiO2 and Fe2O3 for magnetic separation of the particles after adsorption or photochemical decomposition. Economic material, sodium silicate, was purified by ion exchange to prepare aqueous silicic acid solution, followed by mixing with iron oxide nanoparticles. Resulting aqueous dispersion was emulsified, and composite microspheres of SiO2 and Fe2O3 was formed from the emulsion droplets as micro-reactors during heating. Removal of methylene blue using the composite microspheres was performed by batch adsorption process. Synthesis of composite microspheres of silica containing Fe2O3 and TiO2 nanoparticles was also possible, the particles could be separated using magnets efficiently after removal of organic dye.