Laser induced photodegradation of Orange G using phthalocyanine – cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticle conjugates electrospun in polystyrene nanofibers

Conjugates of zinc tetracarboxyphenoxy phthalocyanine (ZnTCPPc) and zinc tetraaminophenoxy phthalocyanine (ZnTAPPc) with amine and carboxyl functionalised cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (CoFe 2 O 4 MNPs), respectively were electrospun into polystyrene (PS) fibers. The resulting composites; ZnTCPPc-CoFe 2 O 4 /PS and ZnTAPPc-CoFe 2 O 4 /PS were compared based on their photophysical properties and photocatalytic efficiencies in degrading Orange G (OG) using laser as the photoexcitation source. The photocatalytic efficiencies of ZnTCPPc-CoFe 2 O 4 /PS and ZnTAPPc-CoFe 2 O 4 /PS were compared based on them having different lengths in the linkage chains between the Pcs and CoFe 2 O 4 MNPs and different sizes. Covalent linkage of the Pcs to the CoFe 2 O 4 MNPs enhanced the singlet oxygen and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production of the Pcs and CoFe 2 O 4 , respectively hence ZnTCPPc-CoFe 2 O 4 /PS and ZnTAPPc-CoFe 2 O 4 /PS were found to be more effective photocatalysts than their respective Pcs and CoFe 2 O 4 MNPs. Moreover, the kinetic analyses of the photodecomposition of OG showed that the degradation was in agreement with both pseudo-first order kinetics and followed the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model.