Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic evaluation of nanocrystalline ferrites of alkaline earth metals: MFe2O4 (M: Mg, Ca, Ba) synthesized by the malate-nitrate method

Ferrites of alkaline earth metals of the type MFe 2 O 4 (M: Mg, Ca, Ba) have been scarcely explored so far as photocatalytic materials. In this work, the pure powders of these materials have been obtained using the malate-nitrate method under the mildest possible calcination conditions. Their characterization was performed by means of XRD, SEM-EDS, UV–Vis, nitrogen physisorption and TEM. The optical “band gap” of these materials correspond to the photon energy in the range of the visible light spectrum. The photocatalytic performance of these materials was evaluated by means of hydrogen photoproduction.