Synthesis, characterization and catalytic performance of iron molybdate Fe2(MoO4)3 nanoparticles

Iron molybdate Fe-2(MoO4)(3) nanoparticles were prepared via heating an oxalate precursor in air at 500 degrees C. The precursor was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and its thermal behavior was studied by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The as-prepared iron molybdate was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller technique (BET), and its catalytic performance was tested. Fe-2(MoO4)(3) exhibits a very high efficiency in the catalytic reduction of the nitro group to the amine group in the ortho-, meta-, and paranitrophenol isomers. The reduction was monitored using UV visible absorption measurements. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.