Facile copper ferrite/carbon quantum dot magnetic nanocomposite as an effective nanocatalyst for reduction of para-nitroaniline and ortho-nitroaniline

Para-nitroaniline (PNA) and ortho-nitroaniline (ONA) are highly toxic contaminants in aqueous solution and must be treated. In the current investigation, novel magnetic nanocomposites containing copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) and gelatin-derived carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were successfully synthesized. The prepared nanocatalyst was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet–visible techniques. The mesoporous structure of the CuFe2O4/CQD nanocomposite was shown using the BET/Barrett–Joyner–Halenda technique. The catalytic performance of the nanocatalyst during the reduction of PNA and ONA was assessed in an aqueous medium at 25 °C. The complete reduction of PNA and ONA using the CuFe2O2/CQDs nanocomposite occurred in 13 s and 35 s, respectively. The pseudo-second-order rate constant (K app) was obtained as 2.89 × 10−1 s−1 and 9.3 × 10−2 s−1 for reducing PNA and ONA, respectively. Moreover, the magnetic nanocatalyst was easily separated from the reaction solution and recycled for up to six consecutive cycles without significant loss of catalytic activity.