Nanocrystalline iron vanadate: facile morphology-controlled preparation, characterization and investigation of optical and photocatalytic properties

Pure iron vanadate (FeVO4) nanoparticles were prepared via simple method based on the reaction between iron nitrate nonahydrate and ammonium metavanadate in water. The effect of different surfactant such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and polyethylene glycol on the size, and morphology of FeVO4 nanoparticles were investigated. The as-obtained FeVO4 nanoparticles were analyzed by UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and X-ray diffraction. The magnetic properties of as-prepared FeVO4 nanoparticles were also investigated with vibrating sample magnetometer. In addition, methyl orange was chosen as a dye water pollution to evaluate its degradation by as-synthesized FeVO4 under ultraviolet light irradiation. Furthermore, the photocatalysis results reveal that the maximum decolorization of 81% for methyl orange occurred with FeVO4 nanoparticles in 80 min under ultraviolet light irradiation.