Nitrophenol chemi-sensor and active solar photocatalyst based on spinel hetaerolite nanoparticles

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 21;9(1):e85290. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085290. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

In this contribution, a significant catalyst based on spinel ZnMn2O4 composite nanoparticles has been developed for electro-catalysis of nitrophenol and photo-catalysis of brilliant cresyl blue. ZnMn2O4 composite (hetaerolite) nanoparticles were prepared by easy low temperature hydrothermal procedure and structurally characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-visible spectroscopy which illustrate that the prepared material is optical active and composed of well crystalline body-centered tetragonal nanoparticles with average size of ∼ 38 ± 10 nm. Hetaerolite nanoparticles were applied for the advancement of a nitrophenol sensor which exhibited high sensitivity (1.500 µAcm(-2) mM(-1)), stability, repeatability and lower limit of detection (20.0 µM) in short response time (10 sec). Moreover, hetaerolite nanoparticles executed high solar photo-catalytic degradation when applied to brilliant cresyl blue under visible light.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aluminum Oxide / chemistry*
  • Catalysis
  • Magnesium Oxide / chemistry*
  • Nanocomposites / chemistry*
  • Nanocomposites / ultrastructure
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
  • Nitrophenols / analysis*
  • Nitrophenols / chemistry
  • Oxazines / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Photochemical Processes
  • Solar Energy

Substances

  • Nitrophenols
  • Oxazines
  • spinell
  • Magnesium Oxide
  • Brilliant Cresyl Blue
  • Aluminum Oxide

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, under grant No. (130-031-D1433). The authors, therefore, acknowledge with thanks DSR technical and financial support. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.