Microwave-assisted synthesis of Ni-doped europium hydroxide for photocatalytic degradation of 4-nitrophenol
Shaidatul Najihah Matussin,
Fazlurrahman Khan,
Mohammad Hilni Harunsani,
Young-Mog Kim,
Mohammad Mansoob Khan
Affiliations
Shaidatul Najihah Matussin
Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong, BE 1410, Brunei Darussalam
Fazlurrahman Khan
Institute of Fisheries Science, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea
Mohammad Hilni Harunsani
Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong, BE 1410, Brunei Darussalam
Young-Mog Kim
Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea; Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea
Mohammad Mansoob Khan
Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong, BE 1410, Brunei Darussalam; Corresponding author.
Microwave-assisted synthesis method was used to prepare europium hydroxide (Eu(OH)3) and different percentages of 1, 5, and 10 % nickel-doped Eu(OH)3 (Ni–Eu(OH)3) nanorods (NRs). X-ray diffraction study showed a hexagonal phase with an average crystallite size in the range of 21 – 35 nm for Eu(OH)3 and Ni–Eu(OH)3 NRs. FT-IR and Raman studies also confirmed the synthesis of Eu(OH)3 and Ni–Eu(OH)3. The synthesized materials showed rod-like morphology with an average length and diameter between 27 – 50 nm and 8 – 13 nm, respectively. The band gap energies of Ni–Eu(OH)3 NRs were reduced (4.06 – 3.50 eV), which indicates that the doping of Ni2+ ions has influenced the band gap energy of Eu(OH)3. The PL study exhibited PL quenching with Ni doping. The photocatalytic degradation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) by the synthesized materials under UV light irradiation was investigated, in which 10 % Ni–Eu(OH)3 NRs showed the best response. A kinetic study was also conducted which shows pseudo-first-order kinetics. Based on this, Ni–Eu(OH)3 NRs have shown a potential to be a UV-light active material for photocatalysis.
