Facile one-pot synthesis of porous Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln = Nd, Gd, Er) with photocatalytic degradation performance for methyl orange

• Porous Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln = Nd, Gd, Er) was prepared by a self-propagating combustion method.
• The activities of Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln = Gd, Er) was higher than that of Nd2Ti2O7.
• Gd2Ti2O7 showed the best photocatalytic activity.
• Crystal structures and Ln 4f shells affected activities of Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln = Nd, Gd, Er).

Porous nanocrystalline Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln = Nd, Gd, Er) was prepared by a facile self-propagating combustion method using metal nitrates (Ln(NO3)3 (Ln = Nd, Gd, Er), TiO(NO3)2) and glycine. The photocatalytic activity of Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln = Nd, Gd, Er) was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO). The results showed that the photocatalytic activity of Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln = Gd, Er) with cubic pyrochlore structure was higher than that of Nd2Ti2O7 with monoclinic perovskite structure and Gd2Ti2O7 showed the best photocatalytic activity. The different photocatalytic activities observed for Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln = Nd, Gd, Er) could be related to its different crystal structures and Ln 4f shells.

Porous nanocrystalline Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln = Nd, Gd, Er) was prepared by a facile self-propagating combustion method. The difference in the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange on Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln = Nd, Gd, Er) can be related to the different crystal structures and Ln 4f shells.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide