Solution Combustion Synthesis of Yttrium molybdate (Y6MoO12) Nanoparticles by using Peroxomolybdic Acid, Characterization and Applications

Abstract

The main aim of our present research work is to synthesize the distinct yttrium molybdate (Y₆MoO₁₂) nanoparticles with excellent photocatalytic activity through ultra-rapid solution combustion route using peroxomolybdic acid as molybdenum source for the first time. The morphology of Y₆MoO₁₂ nanoparticles studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) exposes that the particles are exceedingly porous and agglomerated. From BET surface area measurement, it is examined that Y₆MoO₁₂ nanoparticles exhibit relatively large surface area (40.34 m²g⁻¹). The formation of pure crystalline Y₆MoO₁₂ nanoparticles with cubic phase were analysed by the technique powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns of the Y₆MoO₁₂ nanoparticles described that, Y₆MoO₁₂ nanoparticles consists of well-dispersed nearly spherical-shaped nanoparticles with the polycrystalline nature. The analysis of photocatalytic activity on Y₆MoO₁₂ nanoparticles shows highest (∼85%) degradation of methylene blue (MB). The electrochemical studies using cyclic voltammetry reveal a substantial increase in current density of Y₆MoO₁₂ electrode when compared with bare carbon electrode and the instantaneous rise in redox current for the Y₆MoO₁₂ electrodes with increasing scan rate from 50 mVs^-1 to 90 mVs^-1.