Improved photocatalytic efficiency of rare earth metal-incorporated magnesium oxide nano-hexagonal sheets for the degradation of Ciprofloxacin and Methylene Blue dye under visible light irradiation

Abstract

Researchers worldwide are working hard to develop nanoparticles that can be used for the photocatalytic degradation of dangerous substances and antibiotics. In this report, we present a study on how to make yttrium-incorporated magnesium oxide nanoparticles using hydrothermal and calcination methods. These particles measure around 50 nm and have excellent photocatalytic properties. We analyzed them using various physiochemical techniques like X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with EDAX, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ultra-violet diffused reflectance spectroscopy. The nanohexagons created in this study showed reduced band gap energy from 4.8 eV to 3.8 eV when yttrium was incorporated into MgO nanohexagons resulting in an unusual increase in light absorption within the visible light region. Experimental reports show these synthesized nanoparticles could degrade about 66.5 % antibiotic Ciprofloxacin (CIP) and 79 % Methylene Blue (MB) dye respectively with .O2– playing a significant role at every step during the degradation process. This study demonstrates that these synthesized nanohexagons have practical applications as promising photocatalysts for treating toxic contaminants found in industrial effluents.

Keywords

• Hydrothermal synthesis
• MgO NPs
• Yttrium oxide incorporation
• AOP
• Industrial effluents degradation