Methylene blue photodegradation using as‐synthesized CeO2 nanoparticles

Abstract

AbstractCerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles via solution combustion technique using Ce(NO3)3 as an oxidizer and benzoic acid as fuel were prepared at two different temperatures (500 and 600°C). The as‐synthesized CeO2 nanoparticles were characterized using FT‐IR, PL, BET, XRD, VSM, and TEM techniques. The results of FT‐IR and XRD techniques show that cerium oxide nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized. The absence of other peaks in the XRD pattern indicates that there are no impurities in these compounds. TEM images also confirm the synthesis of nanoparticles smaller than 20 nm. VSM results of CeO2 nanoparticles show weak ferromagnetic properties. Furthermore, the as‐synthesized CeO2 nanoparticles were used for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB). The effect of various parameters such as irradiation time, amount of catalyst dosage, initial MB concentration, and solution pH was investigated. The results show that the best conditions for photocatalytic removal are pH solution of 10, 0.02 g of catalyst dose, initial MB concentration of 40 ppm, and UV irradiation time of 90 min. Therefore, the as‐synthesized CeO2 nanoparticles have a good performance as a catalyst and can be used for other organic dyes.