Fabrication, characterization and photochemical activity of ytterbium carbonate and ytterbium oxide nanoparticles

Abstract

Direct precipitation reaction was optimized to act as a facile and efficient method for the preparation of ytterbium carbonate nanoparticles. The optimization involved a series of systematic experiments planned by Taguchi robust design to the formation of nanoparticles of the product. The ytterbium carbonate particles which were prepared through the optimum reaction conditions were found to possess average diameters around 40 nm, which was further confirmed through characterizations by SEM, TG–DTA, FT-IR and UV–Vis techniques. Due to the satisfactory results of this step, its product was further used as a precursor for the preparation of ytterbium oxide nanoparticles via a thermal decomposition step at 650 °C, and the results of this round were found to be spherical ytterbium oxide nanoparticles of less than 35 nm in diameter. This product was also studied through SEM, XRD and FT-IR to evaluate its physical and chemical properties. The fabricated nano-products were also explored by UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to predict their band gap energies. Furthermore, the photocatalytic ability of both products for degradation of methyl orange during water treatment was evaluated and the results exhibited their efficiency for elimination of organic pollutant.