A novel synthetic route for magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4) nanoparticles using sol–gel auto combustion method and their photocatalytic properties

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy, 2014-10, Vol.131, p.329-334
• Main Authors: Nassar, Mostafa Y., Ahmed, Ibrahim S., Samir, Ihab
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Inorganic compounds; Photocatalytic properties; Sol–gel auto combustion synthesis
• ISSN: 1386-1425
• DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2014.04.040

[Display omitted] •Synthesis of MgAl2O4 nanoparticles using sol–gel auto combustion method.•Effect of fuel type on MgAl2O4 nanoparticles was studied.•Photocatalytic activity of MgAl2O4 using Reactive Red Me 4BL dye was investigated. In this paper a novel and inexpensive route for the preparation of spinel magnesium aluminate nanoparticles (MgAl2O4) is proposed. Magnesium aluminate photocatalyst was synthesized via sol–gel auto combustion method using oxalic acid, urea, and citric acid fuels at 350°C. Subsequently, the burnt samples were calcined at different temperatures. The pure spinel MgAl2O4 with average crystallite size 27.7, 14.6 and 15.65nm was obtained at 800°C calcinations using the aforementioned fuels, respectively. The obtained samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, UV–Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope. The photo catalytic activity of MgAl2O4 product was studied by performing the decomposition of Reactive Red Me 4BL dye under UV illumination or sunlight irradiation. The dye considerably photocatalytically degraded by 90.0% and 95.45% under UV and sunlight irradiation, respectively, within ca. 5h with pseudo first order rate constants of 5.85×10−3 and 8.38×10−3min−1, respectively.