Facile synthesis of niobium oxide as an effective catalytic material for degradation of methylene blue dye

Niobium is considered to have a good resistance in various chemical environments. However, during the corrosion process, a dense product that forms on the surface was used here as a catalyst for the degradation of the methylene blue dye. The niobium catalyst was formed at room temperature (28 & DEG;-30 & DEG;C) by simple precipitation using immersion of sample in an alkali medium. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the synthesis of Na8Nb6O19.13H(2)O and its octahedral shape, respectively. Thermogravimetry analysis indicated the thermal stability of the synthesized catalyst. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopic data show the presence of sodium, niobium and oxygen elements in the prepared catalyst. Methylene blue was degraded effectively (90%) and the process obeys the pseudo-first-order kinetics and the degradation was completed in 0.9934 min(-1).

Automated summary

During corrosion, a dense product formed on the surface of niobium acts as a catalyst for the degradation of methylene blue dye. The niobium catalyst can be easily synthesized at room temperature through simple precipitation in an alkali medium. The synthesized catalyst shows good thermal stability and contains sodium, niobium, and oxygen elements. It effectively degrades methylene blue following pseudo-first-order kinetics, with a degradation rate constant of 0.9934 min(-1).