Synthesis of highly active and visible-light-driven PrFeO3 photocatalyst using solution combustion approach and succinic acid as fuel

Abstract

In this work, nanocrystalline powder of praseodymium orthoferrite was obtained by the solution combustion synthesis using succinic acid as organic fuel. The obtained sample is characterized by techniques of powder x-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The sample was discovered to have a porous, foamy morphology with an average crystallite size of 36.1 nm and a band gap value of 2.1 eV. The study of Fenton-like photocatalytic activity was carried out on the example of the decomposition of the methyl violet dye in the presence of hydrogen peroxide under visible light. The maximum value of the degradation rate constant is 0.0325 min−1. The results were compared to the available data obtained for similar systems.