NiAl2O4 nanoparticles: synthesis and characterization through modify sol–gel method and its photocatalyst application

In this work, modify sol–gel method was used to synthesize nickel aluminate (NiAl2O4) nanoparticles with aid of nickel nitrate hexahydrate and aluminium nitrate nonahydrate as the starting reagents in the presence of ethanol as the solvent. Besides, to examine the effect of different chelate agent such as citric acid monohydrate, oxalic acid, salicylic acid, and malic acid on the morphology and particle size of final products several tests were performed. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of as-obtained products were characterized by techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, scanning electron microscopy and ultraviolet–visible. The photocatalytic degradation was investigated using methyl orange under visible light irradiation (λ > 400 nm). The resulting degradation rates of the methyl orange were measured to be as high as 90 % in 270 min.