A CoMn2O3.5-RGO hybrid as an effective Fenton-like catalyst for the decomposition of various dyes

Abstract A reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-supported CoMn2O3.5 composite (CoMn2O3.5-RGO) was synthesized by a coprecipitation method in a GO suspension using Co(NO3)2·6H2O and MnSO4·H2O as Co and Mn sources, respectively, followed by heat treatment at 600oC for 0.5 h. Results indicate that CoMn2O3.5 particles with an average diameter of about 300 nm decorated the RGO sheets and self-organized into microcubes. The C CoMn2O3.5-RGO as a Fenton-like catalyst exhibited the high activities for the decomposition of various dyes including methylene blue (MB), rhodamine B (RhB) and golden orange II (OGII). 10 mL solutions of the OGII, MB and RhB dyes (50 mg L−1) are 100% decolorized with 5 mg of the CoMn2O3.5/RGO in 50, 70 and 80 min, respectively. The high activity of the catalyst is closely related to a synergistic effect of RGO and CoMn2O3.5, where the dyes are adsorbed on the surface of RGO by interaction and retained in close proximity to the active sites of CoMn2O3.5.