Ammonium complex of niobium as a precursor for the hydrothermal preparation of cellulose acetate/Nb2O5 photocatalyst

Hydrothermal reaction by using ammonium niobium oxalate as a precursor was performed to prepare cellulose acetate/Nb2O5 catalysts. These materials presented homogeneous dispersion of niobium on cellulose acetate surface with Bronsted and Lewis acid sites based on SEM/EDS microscopy and infrared spectroscopy. These catalysts were applied as photocatalyst to degrade indigo carmine dye in water.