Facile synthesis of N-MgSb₂O₆ trirutile antimonate and its enhanced photocatalytic performance

ABSTRACT

In this study, nanocrystallinetrirutile N-doped MgSb₂O₆ was prepared by a facile solution combustion method and its photocatalytic activity was reported for the first time. Products obtained with different oxidant to fuel ratios (O/F) were in crystalline single phasic N-doped MgSb₂O₆ confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The prepared powders were well characterised by using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Raman spectra showed all the characteristic peaks of trirutile structure with significant shift and broadening in the nanocrystalline product compared to that of microcrystalline product. UV-visible DRS analysis confirmed the decrease in band gap with an increase in O/F which is in the range of 4.05 eV–3.30 eV. Nearly 96% of p-bromophenol degradation (p-BP, 10 mg/L) was achieved over nanocrystalline N-doped MgSb₂O₆ after 60 min of irradiation at a rate of 0.069 min⁻¹. Furthermore, radical quantification experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis revealed that •OH and •O₂− were the main ROS responsible for photodegradation of p-BP. Hence, this study presented the enhanced photocatalytic activity of combustion synthesised nanocrystalline N-doped MgSb₂O₆ for the first time and its activity was found to be correlated with N-doping, cation ordering, particle size, and crystallinity.

KEYWORDS:

• Metal oxide
• optical properties
• Raman spectroscopy
• degradation
• p-bromophenol

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