The electrochemical performance and catalytic properties of Ytterbium substitution on Manganese oxide nanoparticles: BET study; preparation and characterization

Abstract

Pure and Yb-doped Mn3O4 nanostructures with different amounts of Yb3+ were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal route. The as-synthesized samples have been distinguished via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) techniques. Powder XRD patterns indicate that the Mn3-xYbxO4 (x = 0.00–0.08) samples are isostructural with spinel Mn3O4. The incorporation of Yb3+ into the Mn3O4 lattice was approved successfully through energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique. The pore volume and BET specific surface area of mesoporous Mn3O4 notably exceeds in comparison to Yb-doped Mn3O4 samples. The electrochemical properties of all the prepared materials as supercapacitance were investigated. Among different contents of Yb, 2% Yb-doped Mn3O4 displayed the enhanced specific capacitance. For photocatalytic degradation of Methyl Orange in aqueous solution, Yb-doped Mn3O4 nanoparticles were employed under visible light irradiation. Considering various amounts of dopant agent, 8% Yb-doped Mn3O4 nanoparticles showed the highest decolorization. In the occurrence of various radical scavengers, the inhibitory effect trend was benzoquinone > I− > buthanol > oxalate.