One-step Nonaqueous Synthesis of Modified Magnetic Fe3O4 Microspheres by Using Epichlorohydrin as Functional Solvent

Nonaqueous synthesis of magnetite particles offers great opportunities to achieve the particle size control and surface modification since potential reaction media are hugely abundant. Herein epichlorohydrin (ECH), a versatile industrial chemical, was employed as a functional solvent for the first time to directly synthesize modified Fe3O4 microspheres (Fe3O4-op-ECH) with the reduced particle size of ca. 0.25 mu m and enhanced Cu2+ exchange capacity of 44.9 mg/g. The Cu2+-exchanged Fe(3)O(4)op-ECH was demonstrated as a potential Fenton-like catalyst for wastewater treatment by catalytic degradation of metronidazole with H2O2.