Hydrothermal synthesis of size-controllable Yttrium Orthovanadate (YVO4) nanoparticles and its application in photocatalytic degradation of direct blue dye

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds 2012-08, Vol.532, p.55-60
• Main Authors: Mohamed, R.M., Harraz, F.A., Mkhalid, I.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alloys; Catalysis; Catalytic reactions; Chemical synthesis methods; Chemistry; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Direct blue dye; Dyes; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Hydrothermal method; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanoparticles; Nanopowders; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; Oxidation; Photocatalysis; Photodegradation; Physics; Specific surface; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Yttrium; YVO4
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2012.04.016

XRD patterns of YVO4 nanopowders prepared at different hydrothermal times; where Y1=4h, Y2=8h, Y3=12h and Y4=24h. [Display omitted] ► Size control of Yttrium Orthovanadate. ► Hydrothermal synthesis. ► Removal of direct blue dye. Sized-controlled YVO4 nanoparticles have been synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method by changing hydrothermal time from 4 to 24h. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), specific surface area (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET)), and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) measurements. The results showed that the size of as-synthesized YVO4 nanoparticles was in the range of 11–40nm and was extremely dependent on the hydrothermal time. Photocatalytic measurement showed that the YVO4 nanoparticles with particle size of about 11nm (prepared by 4h hydrothermal time) possess superior photocatalytic properties in the decolorization of direct blue dye. Due to simple preparation, high photocatalytic oxidation of direct blue dye and low cost, the YVO4 photocatalyst is a potential candidate for pollutants removal and will find wide application in the coming future in photocatalytic oxidation processes. The overall kinetics of photodegradation of direct blue dye using YVO4 nanopowders photocatalyst was found to be of first order. The photocatalyst could be easily removed from the reaction mixture and its recyclability with no loss of activity was possible for six times. The catalytic performance was found to decrease by 5% after run number six.