Magnetic and Photocatalytic Activity of Pure BaFe 12 O 19 and BaFe 12 O 19 -TiO 2 Hexagonal Ferrite Nanocomposites

Hard hexagonal barium ferrite BaFe 12 O 19 (BaM), as well as core–shell structure BaFe 12 O 19 -TiO 2 composite nanoparticles, was successfully prepared by solid state reaction. An interesting photocatalytic activity has been noticed for the first time in pure BaM and doped TiO 2 nanopowders. The obtained powders can photodegrade organic pollutants in the dispersion system effectively and can be recycled easily using a magnetic field. The BaFe 12 O 19 -TiO 2 magnetic photocatalyst is composed of two parts: (1) TiO 2 shell used for photocatalysis and (2) BaFe 12 O 19 core for separation by the magnetic field. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared magnetic photocatalyst is enhanced with BaFe 12 O 19 doping. Besides, the saturation magnetizations of BaFe 12 O 19 -TiO 2 nanoparticles decreased in comparison to pure hexaferrite, while the coercivity remains almost constant.