Manifestation of weak ferromagnetism and photocatalytic activity in bismuth ferrite nanoparticles

Journal Article · Tue Feb 05 00:00:00 EST 2013 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4790994· OSTI ID:22115985

Sakar, M.; Balakumar, S. ^[1]; Saravanan, P. ^[2]; Jaisankar, S. N. ^[3]

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1. National Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Madras, Chennai - 600025 (India)
2. Advanced Magnetics Group, Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad - 500 058 (India)
3. Polymer Lab, Central Leather Research Laboratory, Adyar, Chennai - 600020 (India)

Bismuth ferrite (BFO) nanoparticles were synthesized by auto-ignition technique with and without adding ignition fuel such as citric acid. The presence of citric acid in the reaction mixture yielded highly-magnetic BFO/{gamma}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocomposite. When this composite was annealed to 650 Degree-Sign C, a single phase BFO was formed with average crystallite size of 50 nm and showed weak ferromagnetic behavior. Conversely, the phase pure BFO prepared without adding citric acid exhibited antiferromagnetism because of its larger crystallite size of around 70 nm. The visible-light driven photocatalytic activity of both the pure BFO and BFO/{gamma}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocomposite were examined by degrading methyl orange dye. The pure BFO showed a moderate photocatalytic activity; while BFO/{gamma}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocomposite showed enhanced activity. This could be probably due to the optimal band gap ratio between BFO and {gamma}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} phases reduced the recombination of electron-hole pairs which aided in the enhancement of photocatalytic activity.

• OSTI ID: 22115985
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1512, Issue 1; Conference: 57. DAE solid state physics symposium 2012, Mumbai (India), 3-7 Dec 2012; Other Information: (c) 2013 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ANNEALING
ANTIFERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
BISMUTH COMPOUNDS
CITRIC ACID
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
ENERGY GAP
FERRITES
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
FERROMAGNETISM
HOLES
METHYL ORANGE
NANOSTRUCTURES
PARTICLES
PHOTOCATALYSIS
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
RECOMBINATION