LAUSR

ABSTRACT The single phase ErMnO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by microwave process and high temperature calcination. The structure and morphology of prepared ErMnO3 were characterized by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the single phase ErMnO3 can be obtained through calcination the microwave prepared ErMnO3 precursor at 1050°C. And the resulting product had an average particle size of around 80 nm. The ErMnO3 sample calcined at 1050°C showed high photocatalytic activity for decomposition of methyl orange under ultraviolet light irradiation. The ErMnO3 sample was in line with first-order kinetic model for the degradation of methyl orange. And the apparent rate constant was 0.019 min−1.