Comparing Two Synthesis Methods: Exploring Unique Characteristics and Catalytic Activity of Fenton Catalyst Fe3O4/Zeolite-NaY in Methylene Blue Degradation

A composite catalyst was developed to degrade methylene blue (MB) via the Fenton reaction from Fe3O4 and H2O2 with zeolite-NaY as magnetite support to reduce agglomeration. Hydrothermal and co-precipitation approaches were used to synthesize the composite. The co-precipitation method here was proven to be more suitable to produce the composite. Under optimal conditions, all composite catalysts achieved a remarkable MB reduction (more than 90 %) as confirmed through TLC analysis and UV–Vis spectra. Notably, based on linear regression, FeZ-A maintained over 60 % activity after 15 uses, while FeZ-2 showed the least Fe ion leaching. This demonstrated the effectiveness and stability of the developed catalysts.