Nanocrystalline mixed Magnesium-Zirconyl oxides were prepared by co-precipitation method starting from
different organic acid precursors and glycine. The as-prepared nanooxides were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction,
TGA-DTA, HR-TEM, electronic absorption spectra and FTIR spectroscopic techniques. The results confirmed the
formation of mixed MgO-ZrO2 (cubic, orthorhombic) nanooxides with crystallite size ranging from 10.79-47.55 nm
depending on the organic precursors used. The UV-Vis spectroscopy showed the semiconductor nature of the
samples with optical energy gap ranging from 2.85-3.00 eV. The morphology and microstructure characteristics were
also obtained by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). The products had been tested as
destructive adsorbents for the decontamination of Malathion as VX Chemical Warfare Agent (CWA) stimulant, where
it was found that complete decontamination took place within 240 min. The photoactivity of the prepared samples
was assessed by the photocatalytic decomposition of Orange G dye in an aqueous solution under irradiation of UV
radiation of 365 nm wavelength. |
