Photocatalytic Degradation of Aqueous Nitrobenzene Solution Using Nanocrystalline Mg-Mn Ferrites

Abstract

MgxMn1-xFe2O4(x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 0.8 and 1.0) spinel ferrite system was synthesized by the chemical co-precipitation route. Subsequent characterization of synthesized Mg-Mn ferrites was carried out by X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy to study the structural and textural properties of photocatalysts. Porosity, surface area and equivalent surface free energy of different Mg-Mn ferrite photocatalysts were calculated. The photocatalytic activity of synthesized photocatalysts was evaluated by degradation of nitrobenzene in aqueous medium under ultraviolet light irradiation. The results demonstrated that the percentage degradation of nitrobenzene was decreased with increase in Mg concentration (x) from x = 0.0 0.5 and further increase in concentration from x = 0.6 1.0 results increase in percentage degradation of NB. This dissimilarity in the percentage degradation of NB may be due to the change in grain morphology, optical energy band gap, role played by d-electrons and porosity as a function of Mg-substitution for Mn2+in the system. The percentage degradation was further confirmed by chemical oxygen demand (COD) analysis.