LAUSR

Magnetic Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized via the facile nitrate-alcohol solution combustion process, and they were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray diffraction and using a vibrating sample magnetometer. Magnetic Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles with an average particle size of around 90 nm and a saturation magnetization (MS) of 9.8 A m2/kg were employed to adsorb methyl blue (MB) from an aqueous medium. The study of magnetic Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles for MB adsorption at room temperature was performed, and the experimental data related to the adsorption of MB showed that the adsorption performance followed the pseudo-second kinetics model. When the initial concentration of MB was 400 mg l−1, the adsorption capacity of MB onto Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles reached 98.5 mg l−1. The Temkin isotherm matched well with the adsorption process owing to the values of the square deviations (R2 = 0.99), which suggested that the mechanism of Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles for MB adsorption followed the adsorption behavior of monolayer and multilayer. The adsorbance value was high when the pH value exceeded 5, and the adsorbance amounted to 65% of the initial one via eight recycles.