Study NiO Nanoparticles with Different Surface Morphologies on PET Pyrolysis Kinetic Parameters

Abstract

Nickle oxide (NiO) nanoparticles have been prepared by chemical method. They were chemically formed using the sol-gel method; the calcination step was carried out using two different environment techniques, the first one an ordinary furnace and a custom-made microwave as a new approach. The synthesized nanoparticles’ surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TGA measured the thermal stability of samples and presented information on NiO nanoparticles.TEM authenticated the formation of nanoparticles with a range between 45 to 95 nm and between 45 and 65 for microwave and furnace samples, respectively. Kinetic study analogy shows the best catalysis found is NiO created by the microwave, where it gave lower activation energy Ea and remaining weight percent. Also, it has a high rate of reaction, especially with PET= 9 mg to NiO=1 mg as the mixing ratio compared to the second type of generated NiO via the ordinary furnace. The microwave calcination step took less than 30 minutes compared to the three hours consumed by the furnace.