Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of nanocrystalline ErMnO₃ by microwave assisted process

ABSTRACT

The single phase ErMnO₃ nanoparticles were synthesized by microwave process and high temperature calcination. The structure and morphology of prepared ErMnO₃ were characterized by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the single phase ErMnO₃ can be obtained through calcination the microwave prepared ErMnO₃ precursor at 1050°C. And the resulting product had an average particle size of around 80 nm. The ErMnO₃ sample calcined at 1050°C showed high photocatalytic activity for decomposition of methyl orange under ultraviolet light irradiation. The ErMnO₃ sample was in line with first-order kinetic model for the degradation of methyl orange. And the apparent rate constant was 0.019 min⁻¹.

KEYWORDS:

• ErMnO₃
• nanoparticles
• microwave assisted method
• photocatalysis

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the 2017 national innovation training program for college students (Project name: Study on the preparation of rare earth manganese oxide RMnO₃ and its visible-light photocatalytic degradation for wastewater).