Eco-friendly synthesis of Nd2Sn2O7-based nanostructure materials using grape juice as green fuel as photocatalyst for the degradation of erythrosine

Highly photocatalytic active Nd2Sn2O7 nanostructures have been prepared by a novel, facile and eco-friendly approach with employing grape extract as green fuel, for the first time. The calcination temperature has been optimized to achieve the pure product with the best shape and grain size via an eco-friendly approach. FESEM, BET, XRD, DRS, FT-IR, TEM, PL and EDS have been applied to determine purity and investigate properties of the produced Nd2Sn2O7 nanostructures. It was found that utilization of grape juice at 500 degrees C could be favorable to produce homogeneous Nd2Sn2O7 nanostructures with the sphere-like shape and high purity. Nd2Sn2O7 structures have been applied for photocatalytic destruction of erythrosine contaminant under UV illumination and their photocatalytic efficiency has been compared. It was found that Nd2Sn2O7 nanostructures produced with applying grape juice as green and novel fuel at 500 degrees C, could display superior photocatalytic performance towards erythrosine destruction. By applying them as photocatalyst, 90% of erythrosine contaminant was destructed. Besides, Nd2Sn2O7-Nd2O3 nanostructure has been produced with employing grape juice as novel and green fuel to evaluate the possibility of coupling Nd2O3 into Nd2Sn2O7. Results demonstrated that coupling Nd2O3 into Nd2Sn2O7 could improve the photocatalytic efficiency in erythrosine destruction to 96%.