Fabrication and characterization of Fe₃O₄/perlite, Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO_2, and Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂@sulfanilamide magnetic nanomaterials

In this study, the fabrication of perlite-supported Fe₃O₄ (Fe₃O₄/perlite), SiO₂-coated Fe₃O₄/perlite (Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂), and sulfanilamide-modified Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂ (Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂@sulfanilamide) magnetic nanomaterials and their characterization by various spectroscopic techniques were presented. For this purpose, first, Fe₃O₄/perlite was fabricated via the co-precipitation method. Then, Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂ and Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂@sulfanilamide nanomaterials were fabricated using the sol–gel method. The structural properties of the fabricated nanomaterials were characterized using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), SEM-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis-differential thermal analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The SEM, SEM–EDX, FTIR, and XRD analyses revealed that the fabrication and surface coatings of the Fe₃O₄/perlite, Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂, and Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂@sulfanilamide were successfully performed. It was concluded that the Fe₃O₄/perlite, Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂, and Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂@sulfanilamide showed a type IV-H3 hysteresis loop according to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry classification. According to the BET analysis, it was found that the specific surface areas of the Fe₃O₄/perlite, Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂, and Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂@sulfanilamide were 8.09, 12.71, and 5.89 m²/g, respectively. The average pore radius of the Fe₃O₄/perlite, Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂, and Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂@sulfanilamide were 9.68, 7.91, and 34.69 nm, respectively, using the Barrett-Joyner-Halenda method. Moreover, the half-pore widths of the Fe₃O₄/perlite, Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂, and Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂@sulfanilamide were 2.27, 1.58, and 17.99 nm, respectively, using the density functional theory method. Furthermore, in light of characterization findings, the Fe₃O₄/perlite, Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂, and Fe₃O₄/perlite@SiO₂@sulfanilamide were in crystalline cubic spinel form, and they had mechanical and thermal stability and a mesoporous structure. Within the framework of the results, these developed nanomaterials, which have potential in many applications, such as sustainable technologies and environmental safety technologies, were brought to the attention of related fields. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]