CoFe₂O₄@TiO₂@Au Core-Shell Structured Microspheres: Synthesis and Photocatalyltic Properties

A facile and efficient method for fabrication of magnetic composite microspheres CoFe₂O₄@TiO₂@Au is demonstrated. The shells of anatase TiO₂ were coated onto a magnetic CoFe₂O₄ core via liquid-phase deposition procedure, and then Au nanoparticles were deposited onto CoFe₂O₄@TiO₂ microspheres through seed-mediated growth. XRD, TEM, and VSM were used to investigate the structure, morphology and magnetic properties of the samples, their photocatalytic activity were also tested. Heterostructure of CoFe₂O₄@TiO₂@Au was confirmed by different measurements. Compared to unmodified CoFe₂O₄@TiO₂ microspheres, CoFe₂O₄@TiO₂@Au microspheres showed higher photocatalytic activity for Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation in water.