FABRICATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND PHOTOCATALYTIC CHARACTERISTIC OF NANOSTRUCTURED IRON OXIDE THIN FILMS BY PYROLYSIS OF 4-FERROCENYLANILINE

Abstract

The paper is concerned with the synthesis and the characterization of nanotrapped iron oxide thin films obtained by pyrolytic degradation of 4-ferrocenylaniline over fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) surfaces using 4-Ferrocenylaniline as iron source. The synthesized films have unique nanostructured morphologies and excellent photocatalytic action hence, promise in the applications of the environment and optoelectronics. The 0.1 g and 0.125 g precursor were subjected to pyrolysis at 500 ^oC to make homogeneous and adhesive layers. The presence of pure iron oxide nanofilms was confirmed by the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The degradation of the methylene blue in sunlight under the photocatalytic catalysis of the dissolved methylene blue showed that the 0.1 g sample S1 was more efficient in degradation the dye because it had a thinner, porous morphology. The paper emphasizes the prospects of 4-ferrocenylaniline as a new organometallic precursor to provide economical synthesis of catalytic nanofilms regarding an easy simple pyrolytic process.