Photocatalytic properties of Mn2O3 nanoparticles synthesized via green chemistry method

The objective of this work is to synthesize Mn2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) using green method based on olive leaf extract (OLE). These nanoparticles are intended for photocatalytic applications, specifically the degradation of pollutants and dyes using methylene blue (MB) as a test substance. The synthesized material, initially described as manganese oxide (Mn2O3), was characterized using various techniques: thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT-IR, Raman and UV-visible spectroscopies. Additionally, the photocatalytic tests were performed. XRD analysis revealed the formation of Bixbyite (Mn2O3) phases. Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of Mn-O bonds within the synthesized material. The TGA results supported the decomposition of organic compounds and the formation of the Mn2O3. The photocatalytic degradation tests with methylene blue yielded promising results. The addition of the synthesized material (Mn2O3) significantly enhanced the degradation of methylene blue, achieving an efficiency of 87.8%.