SOL–GEL SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF Sr-DOPED MgMn2O4 WITH PHOTOCATALYTIC PERFORMANCES

Abstract

Pure and strontium (Sr)-doped magnesium manganite MgMn2O4 nanopowders were synthesized via sol–gel method. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformer infrared (FT-IR), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Photocatalytic activities were evaluated by methyl green degradation as the model molecule in aqueous media under visible radiation. The XRD results confirm the formation of the spinel phase for the MgMn2O4 nanoparticles, with crystallite sizes in the 14.10–13.20[Formula: see text]nm range. The formation of the spinel structure was also consolidated by infrared spectroscopy through the appearance of the characteristic bands of Mn–O and Mg–O located at 632 and 470[Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text], respectively. The SEM analysis showed that compact agglomerates were observed in all the samples. The results of the photocatalytic activity of the nanophotocatalysts clearly show an improvement in this activity following the incorporation of strontium, particularly with the 7% doped sample, with [Formula: see text] 96% degradation efficiency.