Single step hydrothermal based synthesis of M(II)Sb2O 6 (M = Cd and Zn) type antimonates and their photocatalytic properties

Abstract

Experiments involving single step hydrothermal reactions of the divalent metal (Zn2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Cu2+, Ni2+ and Mn2+ ) salts with ilmenite NaSbO3 yielded pure divalent antimonates in the case of CdSb2O6 crystallizing in the PbSb2O6 type structure and ZnSb2O6 crystallizing in the trirutile structure type. In the case of Pb2+, Cu2+, Ni2+ and Mn2+ divalent cations, phase pure product could not be obtained. The obtained powders were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and UVvisible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The oxide powders obtained possessed lower crystallite size as compared to their solid-state synthesized counterparts. This was evident from the broadening of the powder X-ray diffraction peaks. The antimonates were photocatalytically active for the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) dye under UV light irradiation.