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Irradiation assisted polyacrylamide gel route for the synthesize of the Mg1–xCoxAl2O4 nano-photocatalysts and its optical and photocatalytic performances

  • Original Paper: Sol-gel and hybrid materials for catalytic, photoelectrochemical and sensor applications
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Abstract

The present work demonstrated the synthesis of the CoxMg1–xAl2O4 (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5) photocatalysts with an p–n xMgAl2O4/(1 – x)[CoAl2O4] junction, as novel simulated sunlight-driven photocatalysts at different Co/Mg molar ratios. A gamma-ray irradiation assisted polyacrylamide gel route was used to synthesize the CoxMg1–xAl2O4 pigments. The micro-structure, phase purity, surface morphology, the cation distribution, and the electron level, color, optical and electrochemical properties, and photocatalytic activity of the CoxMg1–xAl2O4 photocatalysts were systematically analyzed. The mean particle size of the CoxMg1–xAl2O4 photocatalysts increases with increase in the x value was demonstrated by TEM. Color and optical properties analysis indicated that the CoxMg1–xAl2O4 photocatalysts exhibits a bright blue color. As the x value increased to 0.2, the b* value of the CoxMg1–xAl2O4 photocatalysts reached to –21.468, it means that the CoxMg1–xAl2O4 possessed low Co content and exhibited a stabilized color and optical properties. Photocatalytic degradation experiments revealed that the CoxMg1–xAl2O4 (x = 0.1) photocatalysts exhibit highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of the methylene blue (MB) dye under simulated sunlight irradiation. The synergistic effects of the adsorption capacity, light absorption capacity, and superoxide ions (•O2−) played important role for the photocatalytic degradation of the MB dye on the basis of the UV–Vis spectra, XPS analysis, electrochemical test, and photocatalytic degradation experiments

A CoxMg1–xAl2O4 (x = 0.1–0.5) nanoparticles were prepared by an irradiation assisted polyacrylamide gel route. The mean particle size of the CoxMg1–xAl2O4 photocatalysts increases with increase in the x value. The CoxMg1–xAl2O4 photocatalysts possessed low Co content and exhibit a stabilize color (bright blue color) and optical properties. The CoxMg1–xAl2O4 (x = 0.1) photocatalysts shows a novel photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye under simulated sunlight irradiation.

Highlights

  • A novel photocatalyst was synthesized by a gamma-ray irradiation assisted polyacrylamide gel route.

  • The CoxMg1–xAl2O4 photocatalysts possessed low Co content and exhibited a stabilized color and optical properties.

  • The CoxMg1–xAl2O4 (x = 0.1) photocatalyst exhibits high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of the methylene blue dye.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (61705025), Chongqing basic research and frontier exploration (general project) (cstc2019jcyj-msxm1327), Gansu Education Department Higher School Research Project (2018A-242), and Major Cultivation Projects of Chongqing Three Gorges University (18ZDPY01).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, 404000, Chongqing, Wanzhou, China

    Shifa Wang, Chaoli Chen, Yong Wei & Xinxin Zhao

  2. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, 730050, Lanzhou, China

    Huajing Gao

  3. School of Science, Lanzhou University of Technology, 730050, Lanzhou, China

    Huajing Gao

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  1. Shifa Wang
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  2. Huajing Gao
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Correspondence to Shifa Wang.

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Wang, S., Gao, H., Chen, C. et al. Irradiation assisted polyacrylamide gel route for the synthesize of the Mg1–xCoxAl2O4 nano-photocatalysts and its optical and photocatalytic performances. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 92, 186–199 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-019-05062-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-019-05062-8

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