LaFeO 3 nanospheres were synthesized by hydrothermal method followed by calcination. Citric acid was found to be key factor to the purity and the surface morphology of the LaFeO 3 nanospheres. The obtained nanospheres have been structurally characterized by XRD which confirms the single crystalline orthorhombic structure. The structural information of the nanosphere was also confirmed from the Raman spectrum. HRSEM and AFM revealed that the prepared sample has been composed of spherical like morphology with an average size of about 45 nm. From XPS analysis, the chemical state of the LaFeO 3 nanospheres was confirmed. Magnetic measurement indicates the products shows weak magnetic behaviour. The UV-Vis spectroscopy analysis shows strong absorption at 466 nm which confirms that the obtained material has excellent visible light absorption ability. Furthermore, the photocatalytic experiment demonstrates that the prepared LaFeO 3 nanospheres exhibit well and stable photocatalytic activity for decomposition of methyl orange under visible-light irradiation.
ZrO2 (Zirconia) nanoparticles (NPs), PANI (polyaniline), and ZrO2/PANI nanocomposites (NCs) were successfully synthesized using CTAB (Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide) and SDS (Sodium dodecyl sulfate) surfactants by following the co-precipitation method. The structural phase analysis of as-prepared, annealed nanoparticles, and nanocomposites was done using the XRD (x-ray diffraction) technique. The crystallite size of pure SDS and CTAB assisted ZrO2 NPS comes out to be 19 and 17 nm, respectively. After the formation of NCs, the size has been reduced to 15.7 and 15.9 nm, respectively for the same samples. The effect of surfactants on the dye adsorption mechanism was studied using XRD and UV–vis spectroscopy. The prepared NPs and NCs were utilized as an adsorbent for the removal of organic dye methylene blue (MB) which is used as a model compound. UV–vis spectra of the supernatant solution were taken and studied to detect the relative decrease in the dye concentration with time. The as-prepared CTAB assisted ZrO2/PANI NCs show higher adsorption activity than annealed CTAB assisted ZrO2/PANI whereas a reversal trend in the adsorption activity was observed for SDS-assisted ZrO2/PANI NCs. Various kinetic models were implemented and correlated to the experimental data to elucidate the working mechanism for dye adsorption and to set up, a relation in the adsorption activity of surfactant modified NPs and NCs.
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