Hierarchical SiO₂@FeCo₂O₄ core–shell nanoparticles for catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol and degradation of methylene blue

Water contamination is a significant environmental issue in the modern era. Two of the most prominent sources of water pollution are the dyestuff and pharmaceutical industries, and their discharge poses a substantial threat to the ecosystem due to adverse human and environmental health impacts. The methylene blue (MB) dyes and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) were degraded in this work employing a hierarchical SiO₂@FeCo₂O₄ (SiO₂@FCO) core–shell catalyst. The capacity of conventional wastewater treatment systems to treat non-biodegradable contaminants is limited. Hydrothermal synthesis of the hierarchical SiO₂@FCO core–shell catalysts was employed to remove 4-NP and degrade MB. The hierarchical SiO₂@FCO core–shell properties were investigated using a range of techniques, including FTIR, XRD, XPS, TEM, SEM, and BET. The photocatalytic activity of hierarchical SiO₂@FCO core–shell nanoparticles eliminating 4-NP and degrading MB is exceptional when exposed to UV light. The SiO₂@FCO catalyst displayed excellent catalytic activity and recycling properties while eliminating 4-NP in the presence of light. Hierarchical SiO₂@FCO core–shell nanoparticles has exceptional photocatalytic activity, removing 99.6% of MB in 15 min and more than 99.4% of 4-NP in 10 min.