Sol–gel proteic method using orange albedo pectin for obtaining cobalt ferrite particles

Cobalt ferrite particles (CoFe 2 O 4 ) were synthetized using the proteic sol–gel method with pectin extracted from the albedo of orange peel as the gelling agent. The sol–gels were obtained by mixing pectin in different concentrations (4, 6 and 8 %) with salts of cobalt (II) nitrate hexahydrate and iron (III) nitrate nonahydrate. After gelling, the samples were calcined from 4 to 48 h at 1373 K. The formation of the spinel phase was investigated using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared and Mossbauer spectroscopy. Data analyses showed that 4 % pectin concentration is sufficient to produce cobalt ferrite particles. The grain size slightly increases with the thermal treatment time. The particles were successfully used to move a drop of sparged oil on water subjected to the action of a magnetic field.