Photocatalytic and Electrochemical Activity of Magnesium Oxide Nanoballs Synthesized via a Hydrothermal Route

Abstract

Currently, there is growing concern about minimizing the environmental impacts caused by the generation of waste on water, soil, air pollution, and contamination of the environment in general. Magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoballs (NBs) were synthesized by the hydrothermal method followed by a calcination process. The average size of particles dispersed in deionized water was 159.2 ± 70 nm. The energy band gap was calculated to be 5.14 eV. The magnetic behavior, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance of MgO NBs were studied. Under visible-light irradiation, the photocatalytic activity of MgO nanoballs was investigated by methylene blue (MB) dye. Results showed that photodegradation for MB under visible light irradiation for 120 min and degradation results are fitted well with pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics with a rate constant of 0.00252 min−1 and a correlation coefficient of 0.96.