Title: Photocatalytic properties of magnesium aluminate spinel nanoparticles prepared by chemical precipitation method

Authors: Hui Li; Yuqin Liu; Ji Chen; Da Chen; Junkai Tang; Yanxi Deng

Addresses: Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China ' Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China ' Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China ' Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China ' Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China ' Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China

Abstract: Magnesium aluminate spinel nanoparticles were synthesised via chemical precipitation method using ammonia as precipitating agent. The effects of calcination temperature on the phase constitution, morphologies, specific surface area and photocatalytic properties were investigated. Single phase cubic MgAl₂O₄ formed by calcining the precursors at the temperature ranges from 700°C to 1,000°C for 90 min. The mean crystallite size of the MgAl₂O₄ powder increases slightly with the increase in calcination temperature. Increasing the calcination temperature leads to decrease in the specific surface area and the decline of the photocatalytic properties. The methylene blue removal ratio reaches 96.3% within 240 min using MgAl₂O₄ spinel powder calcined at 700°C.

Keywords: magnesium aluminate spinel; chemical precipitation synthesis; photocatalytic properties; calcination.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2019.097240

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2019 Vol.15 No.1/2, pp.70 - 79

Received: 06 May 2017
Accepted: 26 Oct 2017
Published online: 07 Jan 2019 *

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