Synthesis of Gd Doped Ni-Ferrites and their Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Under UV-Visible Irradiations

Abstract

A good approach for the photodegradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under UV-Visible irradiation is the use of Gadolinium-doped Nickel-Ferrites as a photocatalyst that showed the high photocatalytic activity, highly magnetic separability and cost-effective results. The nanoparticles of Gadolinium-doped Nickel-Ferrites (NiGdxFe2-xO4, x=1 %, 3 %, 5%) were prepared by using hydrothermal synthesis route. The structural and morphological properties of the synthesized nanoparticles studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), UV-visible spectroscopy, and Photoluminescence (PL). The structural morphology showed that prepared samples are uniform. The structural properties confirmed to be in good agreement for both XRD, and SEM results and confirmed the cubical nature of the prepared spinel. Furthermore, the increase in size of the nanoparticles with increase in Gd3+ contents, confirmed from the diffraction peaks and SEM analysis. The size of crystallites ranged in 42-48nm evaluated by using Debye-Sharrer’s formula from more intense diffraction peak. The composition of the prepared specimen confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), that showed to sharp absorption bands from 400 cm-1 and 600 cm-1.Photocatalysis carried out to check the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized nanoparticles having different concentrations of Gd3+, for the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under UV-Visible light. The photocatalytic activity checked, resulted 8%, 27%, 41% and 80% for host nickel ferrites and Gd doped nickel ferrites respectively, for the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under UV-Visible irradiation only in 50 mins, it is concluded that the photocatalytic activity increased by increasing reaction time and the concentration of Gd3+ in nickel ferrites, and this can be increased up to 80 %. The prepared nanoparticles (nickel ferrites with various Gd3+ contents) attested to be cost effective, eco-friendly, reusable after recycling, high magnetic separability after use, and high photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under UV-Visible irradiation.