Facile synthesis of Yb3+-Zn2+ substituted M type hexaferrites: Structural, electric and photocatalytic properties under visible light for methylene blue removal

Nanocrystalline M type hexaferrites Ca0.5Pb0.5-xYbxZnyFe12-yO19 (x = 0.00-0.1, y = 0.00-1.00) were synthesized by sol-gel autocombustion method. The effects of Yb-Zn doping on structural, optical and electric nature of Ca-Pb M type hexaferrites were explored. The crystal structure of the hexaferrites revealed magnetoplumbite phase with Yb-Zn varying contents (x, y) from 0.00 to 0.1 and 0.00 to 1.00. While the SEM confirmed the presence of well-developed flake shaped particles with size of 16-17 nm. Increase in the dielectric parameters from12.3 to 344.65 k has been observed by dielectric spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that band gap (2.6-2.5 eV) of CaPbFe12O19 can be tuned by the intervention of Yb and Zn ions to enhance the photocatalytic performance. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye with undoped CaPbFe12O19 and doped Ca0.5Pb0.5-xYbxZnyFe12-yO19 M type hexaferrites was performed at pH 07 varying time intervals from 0 to 90 min. The Ca0.5Pb0.5-xYbxZnyFe12-yO19 (x = 0.1, y = 1.00) exhibited enhanced percentage degradation efficiency 96.1 % at visible light irradiation in 90 min at pH 07 following the first order kinetics. On the basis of obtained results, Yb-Zn doped CaPbFe12O19 M type hexaferrites can be proposed as excellent material for dielectric, microwave and photocatalyst for the removal of textile contamination.

Automated summary

In this study, Yb-Zn doped nanocrystalline M type hexaferrites were synthesized and their structural, optical, and electric properties were investigated. The results showed that Yb-Zn doping can tune the band gap of the hexaferrites and enhance their photocatalytic performance.