Colloidal Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized using a gamma-radiolysis method in an aqueous solution containing iron chloride in presence of polyvinyl alcohol and isopropanol as colloidal stabilizer and hydroxyl radical scavenger, respectively. Gamma irradiation was carried out in a 60Co gamma source chamber at different absorbed doses. Increasing the radiation dose above a certain critical dose (100 kGy) leads to particle agglomeration enhancement, and this can influence the structure and crystallinity, and consequently the magnetic properties of the resultant particles. The optimal condition for formation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with a uniform and narrow size distribution occurred at a dose of 100 kGy, as confirmed by X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. A vibrating sample magnetometry study showed that, when radiation dose increased, the saturation and remanence magnetization decreased, whereas the coercivity and the remanence ratio increased. This magnetic behavior results from variations in crystallinity, surface effects, and particle size effects, which are all dependent on the radiation dose. In addition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was performed to investigate the nature of the bonds formed between the polymer chains and the metal surface at different radiation doses.
The optical properties of a ZnO photocatalyst were enhanced with various dopant concentrations of Fe(3+). Doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized via a sol-gel method without the use of capping agents or surfactants and was then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The results showed that ZnO has a wurtzite, hexagonal structure and that the Fe(3+) ions were well incorporated into the ZnO crystal lattice. As the Fe(3+) concentration increased from 0.25 wt.% to 1 wt.%, the crystal size decreased in comparison with the undoped ZnO. The spectral absorption shifts of the visible light region (red shift) and the band gap decreases for each Fe-ZnO sample were investigated. The photocatalytic activities of the ZnO and Fe-ZnO samples were evaluated based on the degradation of 2-chlorophenol in aqueous solution under solar radiation. The samples with a small concentration of Fe(3+) ions showed enhanced photocatalytic activity with an optimal maximum performance at 0.5 wt.%. The results indicated that toxicity removal of 2-chlorophenol at same line of degradation efficiency. Small crystallite size and low band gap were attributed to high activities of Fe-ZnO samples under various concentrations of Fe(3+) ions compared to undoped ZnO.