Microwave assisted synthesis of perovskite structured BaTiO3 nanospheres via peroxo route for photocatalytic applications

A novel perovskite structured barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanopowder was successfully synthesized at low temperature by a facile and an inexpensive microwave method. The synthesized nanosphere shaped BaTiO3 was analyzed using advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared, Micro Raman, Scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive analysis and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopic techniques. Photocatalytic dye degradation study was carried out using newly synthesized BaTiO3 catalyst. The synthesized sphere shaped barium titanate nanopowders effectively degrade the various dyes such as Methylene Blue (MB), Malachite Green (MG) and Alizarin Red S (ARS) under UV light irradiation. The band gap energy of synthesized BaTiO3 was calculated by UV-DRS spectra using kubelka-Munk equation. The higher dye decomposition efficiency of nearly 100% was successfully achieved by BaTiO3 (BT10) nanosphere which was prepared using 10 min microwave irradiation.