Speaker
Description
Lithium zinc borate (LiZnBO$_3$) is a metal borate material that has garnered a huge scientific interest because of its distinctive electronic, optical, and physico-chemical properties which makes them suitable candidates for environmental remediation applications in a world hugely affected by pollution from different sectors such as mining and agriculture. These novel LiZnBO3 nanomaterials were prepared in this study using solid state reaction method. This material was doped with Nickel (Ni) and the doping concentrations were varied form (1, 3, 5, 8, 10%). The particle and structural morphology of the synthesized materials were studied using X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The XRD diffraction patterns indicate that the doping of Ni ions has no discernible impact on the crystal structure of LiZnBO$_3$, confirming the preservation of crystallinity and the formation of a pristine LiZnBO$_3$ with the absence of characteristic peaks related to impurities or secondary peaks emanating from Ni. The XRD spectra also confirmed the formation of a pure LiZnBO$_3$ material which formed in single-phase monoclinic crystal system and IE space group of LiZnBO$_3$. This crystal structure was maintained even after the substitution with Ni ions, indicating a successful substitution of Ni ions into the LiZnBO$_3$ structure. Energy dispersive spectroscopy was used for elemental composition investigations which confirmed the presence of Li, Zn, B, and O in pristine sample and also confirmed the presence of Li, Zn, B, O, and Ni in doped LiZnBO$_3$ samples. The efficiency of the synthesized materials was investigated by studying their photocatalytic degradation efficiency via the degradation of potassium ethyl xanthate (PEX) under UV-vis light. PEX is a commonly used chemical collector used during flotation process in the mineral separation industry and is detrimental to the environmental ecosystem. Hence, it is extremely important to devise environmentally friendly methods of degrading PEX into harmless materials.
| Apply for student award at which level: | PhD |
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| Consent on use of personal information: Abstract Submission | Yes, I ACCEPT |