Spinels are increasingly used as catalyst supports due to their stability, resistance to acids and alkalis, and high melting points. Oxide spinels are valuable in pigments, magnetic, and refractory materials. The spinel-type aluminate structure, MAl2O4 (where M is a divalent metal cation like Mg, Co, Cu, or Zn), consists of tetrahedral and octahedral sites with 32 oxygen ions in a unit cell [1]. CuAl2O4 stands out for its thermal stability, hydrophobicity, mechanical resistance, and low surface acidity, making it a promising material for catalytic applications, ceramic pigments, and photocatalysts for organic pollutant degradation [2]. The widespread utilization of antibiotics in veterinary medicine, hospitals, and private households has caused severe antibiotics pollution in water environments. This issue has received much attention due to the high structural stability and poor biodegradability of antibiotics, which pose major risks to human health [3]. This study reports the synthesis and comprehensive characterization of CuAl2O4 nanoparticles, focusing on their photocatalytic efficacy in degrading tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH), a common antibiotic contaminant. Various analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, were employed to elucidate the structural, morphological, and chemical properties of the synthesized CuAl2O4 nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of CuAl2O4 nanoparticles was confirmed by the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) under visible light irradiation. Additionally, the effects of process parameters such as catalyst dosage, initial TCH concentration, and visible light irradiation on TCH degradation were investigated. Photocatalytic experiments demonstrated the potential of CuAl2O4 NPs as a highly effective photocatalyst for environmental remediation.
