Microwave Synthesis of Nanoparticulate SmFeO3 and Its Characterization

Single phase perovskite SmFeO3 nanoparticles were synthesized using a simple microwave method using Fe(NO3)3 · 9H2O and Sm(NO3)3 · 6H2O. The resulting samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurement, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). XRD and SEM results demonstrate the successful synthesis of nanocrystalline SmFeO3 and show an average grain size of 50–60 nm. The single phase structure and optical properties of SmFeO3 were maintained after calcination at 1000 °C. The prepared nanocrystalline SmFeO3 displays excellent thermal stability and strong visible-light absorption, with an absorption onset of 540 nm or so. The photocatalytic experiment involving the decomposition of methyl orange under visible-light irradiation shows the high photocatalytic activity of the nanoparticles.