IJFANS International Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences

ISSN PRINT 2319 1775 Online 2320-7876

Rare Earth Element Cerium Ions Substituted Mn-Ni Spinel Nanoparticles: Enhanced Photocatalytic, Magnetic And Optical Properties

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A. Dinesh , K. Thanrasu, K. Kanmani Raja

Abstract

In this present study, magnetic nanoparticles of Mn0.5Ni0.5CexFe2-xO4 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5) spinel ferrites were synthesized by a simple combustion method by utilizing the fuel of urea. The formation of a cubic spinel structure was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) performance and the crystallites size was found to be decreased in the range of 24.63 to 15.94 nm with increasing cerium ions. The morphology of Mn0.5Ni0.5CexFe2-xO4 NPs was detected by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and observed sphere shaped nanoparticles, further it was established by high resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM). Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) studies complete the formation of pure spinel ferrite structure as they ensured the presence of all the elements and the formation of the desired compositions. Furthermore, the bandgap value was estimated to be within 1.38 and 1.75 eV. The appearance of fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) bonds at 440 cm-1 is linked to the octahedral (B) metal stretching (Ni-O) and the band at 584 cm-1 is connected to the tetrahedral (A) metal stretching (Fe-O), which ensure the formation of Mn0.5Ni0.5CexFe2-xO4 NPs. Magnetic parameters such as remanent (Mr), coercivity (Hc) and saturation magnetization (Ms) were calculated, which exhibited ferromagnetic behavior. The Ms values are decreased with increasing the Ce-doping since the replacement of Fe ions. The photocatalytic (PC) behavior of Mn0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4, Mn0.5Ni0.5Ce0.1Fe1.9O4, Mn0.5Ni0.5Ce0.3Fe1.7O4 and Mn0.5Ni0.5Ce0.5Fe1.5O4 NPs were analyzed under visible light treatment by the degradation (PCD) of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye. Among the various prepared compositions, Mn0.5Ni0.5Ce0.3Fe1.7O4 exhibits higher PCD efficiency as 94.75 % at 105 min with enhanced visible light absorption range.

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