In this paper a novel and inexpensive route for the preparation of spinel magnesium aluminate nanoparticles
(MgAl2O4) is proposed. Magnesium aluminate photocatalyst was synthesized via sol–gel auto combustion
method using oxalic acid, urea, and citric acid fuels at 350 C. Subsequently, the burnt samples
were calcined at different temperatures. The pure spinel MgAl2O4 with average crystallite size 27.7,
14.6 and 15.65 nm was obtained at 800 C calcinations using the aforementioned fuels, respectively.
The obtained samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, UV–
Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope. The photo catalytic
activity of MgAl2O4 product was studied by performing the decomposition of Reactive Red Me 4BL dye
under UV illumination or sunlight irradiation. The dye considerably photocatalytically degraded by
90.0% and 95.45% under UV and sunlight irradiation, respectively, within ca. 5 h with pseudo first order
rate constants of 5.85 103 and 8.38 103 min1, respectively. |
