Solvent Controlled Synthesis of Tin Oxide Nanocatalysts and Their Applications in Photodegradation of Environmental Hazardous Materials

摘要

Solvent controlled synthesis of tin oxide nanocatalysts were prepared via the hydrothermal method. To study the effect of solvent on the particle size of tin oxide and their catalytic efficiency on photodegradation of environmental hazardous materials, the synthesis was carried out at different concentrations of solvent (isoamyl alcohol) keeping all other reaction conditions constant. The nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction and Thermogravimeteric analysis. Prepared nanoparticles were applied as nanocatalyst under UV-visible light for the photodegradation of methyl green, which is an abundant organic pollutant of industrial waste water. Photodegradation activities of the nanocatalysts were measured in three different ways, i. pseudo first order rate constant, "k". ii. percentage degradation and iii. degradation rate. Effect of solvent was quantitatively explained in term of double sphere model of ion-ion interaction. Degradation of pollutants was also monitored by High Performance Liquid Chromatography.