Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic properties of Iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized by sol-gel autocombustion with ultrasonic irradiation

Iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles were prepared by combination of solgel autocombustion and ultrasonic irradiation. The XRD pattern reveals that the crystallite size of sample is 36.7 nm and the phase identification shows hematite, syn has been crystalized. The morphology of the sample investigated by FESEM showed that particle size of the sample was about 76 nm. The optical property of Fe2O3 investigated by DRS showed that there may exist three energy band gaps in iron oxide nanoparticles. FTIR technique was used to determine the functional group of product. In agreement to XRD results, the result of FT-IR revealed no organic residue in product. Photo catalyst nanoparticles were immobilized on the surface of glass slide using Doctor Blade method. Photocatalytic degradation of reactive red 4 (RR4) was investigated under UV light using iron oxide nanoparticles as catalyst. The kinetic of RR4 degradation under UV light irradiation in the presence of Fe2O3 as photocatalyst, and rate constant was determined. Experiments exhibited that Fe2O3 nanoparticles decomposed 52% of azo dye RR4 in solution duration 135 min. The photo catalytic reaction kinetic of RR4 degradation in the presence of Fe2O3 nanoparticles followed Langmuir-Hinshelwood model with the rate constant of about 0.005 min^-1.