ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Synthesis of nanocrystalline eskolaite via grimaldiite

Marko Robić, Mira Ristić, Stjepko Krehula, Marijana Jurić, and Svetozar Musić

Division of Materials Chemistry, Rudjer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia

E-mail: music@irb.hr

Received: 9 July 2020  Accepted: 27 August 2020

Abstract:

Grimaldiite (α-CrOOH) was precipitated hydrothermally from the CrCl₃ aqueous solution in the presence of hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA). The crystallite size of grimaldiite samples was estimated to be ~ 2 nm. Eskolaite (α-Cr₂O₃) was produced by the calcination of grimaldiite at 500 and 700 °C. FE-SEM images showed amorphous-like aggregates of grimaldiite due to very fine particles (crystallites), whereas eskolaite was in the form of sphere-like nanoparticles. Synthesized grimaldiite and eskolaite were used in the investigation of rhodamine B (RhB) degradation. The significant degradation percentage of RhB obtained by grimaldiite was explained as catalytic effect (in dark) and photocatalytic contribution (with illumination).

Keywords: Grimaldiite; Eskolaite; HMTA; Nanocrystallinity; Rhodamine B

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-020-01338-4

Chemical Papers 75 (2) 735–741 (2021)