High Performance Photocatalytic Activity of Mg2+ Doped Hexagonal ZnO Nanoparticles in the Methylene Blue Degradation under UV Irradiation (original) (raw)

Mg2+ doped hexagonal ZnO nanoparticles with different Mg2+contents (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%,4%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%) were prepared from oxalate precursors synthesized by direct reaction in the solid state between oxalic acid dihydrate (H2C2O4.2H2O), nitrate salts of zinc (Zn(NO3)2.6H2O) and magnesium (Mg(NO3)2.6H2O) at 150 °C. The resulting precursors were subsequently calcined at 500 °C to produce the corresponding oxides. In addition, the oxalates of the single metals were also prepared by heating at 180 °C to dehydrate the complexes, before using TGA thermal gravimetric analysis to determine the temperature range of the decomposition. The obtained oxides were characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller technique (BET), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and tested as photocatalysts in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV irradiation. The results show a segregation of phases starting at an Mg2+ content of 10%. The crystallites' sizes, calcul...