---
OA_type: closed access
_id: '18558'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: The current investigation presents a facile and cost-effective sol-gel approach
    for the synthesis of phase-pure multiferroic bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) nanoparticles
    (BFO NPs) by using propylene glycol as a complexing agent, intended for use as
    a photocatalyst to efficiently degrade organic dyes in aqueous solutions under
    natural sunlight. Characterization techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis
    (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction
    (XRD), elucidated a plausible reaction pathway for the formation of phase-pure
    BFO NPs. Rietveld refinement of the XRD data, in conjunction with transmission
    electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy, confirmed the synthesis of single-phase
    BFO NPs at 400 °C, displaying a space group of R3c and an average crystallite
    size of 25 nm. UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy revealed an absorption
    cut-off wavelength near 590 nm, corresponding to a band gap of 2.08 eV, indicating
    the capability of BFO NPs to absorb visible light within the 400–590 nm range.
    BFO NPs have shown efficient and rapid photocatalytic degradation of methylene
    blue (MB) in acidic, neutral, and basic pH conditions under natural sunlight.
    This is attributed to the intrinsic ferroelectric and ferromagnetic ordering present
    in synthesized BFO NPs which facilitates the separation and migration of photoinduced
    charges through band bending phenomena at the interface.
acknowledgement: "Simant Kumar Srivastav greatly acknowledges the University Grant
  Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India for providing BSR start-up grant to carry out
  this research work.\r\nThis research was supported by start-up grant of the University
  Grant Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India through project no F-30-500/2019 (BSR)."
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Madhu
  full_name: Verma, Madhu
  last_name: Verma
- first_name: Ajay
  full_name: Kumar, Ajay
  last_name: Kumar
- first_name: Vijay Kumar
  full_name: Thakur, Vijay Kumar
  last_name: Thakur
- first_name: Akanksha
  full_name: Maurya, Akanksha
  last_name: Maurya
- first_name: Sachin
  full_name: Kumar, Sachin
  last_name: Kumar
- first_name: Saurabh
  full_name: Singh, Saurabh
  id: 12d625da-9cb3-11ed-9667-af09d37d3f0a
  last_name: Singh
  orcid: 0000-0003-2209-5269
- first_name: Simant Kumar
  full_name: Srivastav, Simant Kumar
  last_name: Srivastav
citation:
  ama: Verma M, Kumar A, Thakur VK, et al. Efficient and rapid sunlight-driven photocatalytic
    degradation of methylene blue dye using multiferroic BiFeO3 nanoparticles. <i>Journal
    of Sol-Gel Science and Technology</i>. 2025;113:356-373. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2">10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2</a>
  apa: Verma, M., Kumar, A., Thakur, V. K., Maurya, A., Kumar, S., Singh, S., &#38;
    Srivastav, S. K. (2025). Efficient and rapid sunlight-driven photocatalytic degradation
    of methylene blue dye using multiferroic BiFeO3 nanoparticles. <i>Journal of Sol-Gel
    Science and Technology</i>. Springer Nature. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2">https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2</a>
  chicago: Verma, Madhu, Ajay Kumar, Vijay Kumar Thakur, Akanksha Maurya, Sachin Kumar,
    Saurabh Singh, and Simant Kumar Srivastav. “Efficient and Rapid Sunlight-Driven
    Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye Using Multiferroic BiFeO3 Nanoparticles.”
    <i>Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology</i>. Springer Nature, 2025. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2">https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2</a>.
  ieee: M. Verma <i>et al.</i>, “Efficient and rapid sunlight-driven photocatalytic
    degradation of methylene blue dye using multiferroic BiFeO3 nanoparticles,” <i>Journal
    of Sol-Gel Science and Technology</i>, vol. 113. Springer Nature, pp. 356–373,
    2025.
  ista: Verma M, Kumar A, Thakur VK, Maurya A, Kumar S, Singh S, Srivastav SK. 2025.
    Efficient and rapid sunlight-driven photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue
    dye using multiferroic BiFeO3 nanoparticles. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology.
    113, 356–373.
  mla: Verma, Madhu, et al. “Efficient and Rapid Sunlight-Driven Photocatalytic Degradation
    of Methylene Blue Dye Using Multiferroic BiFeO3 Nanoparticles.” <i>Journal of
    Sol-Gel Science and Technology</i>, vol. 113, Springer Nature, 2025, pp. 356–73,
    doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2">10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2</a>.
  short: M. Verma, A. Kumar, V.K. Thakur, A. Maurya, S. Kumar, S. Singh, S.K. Srivastav,
    Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology 113 (2025) 356–373.
das_tickbox: '1'
dataavailabilitystatement: No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current
  study.
date_created: 2024-11-17T23:01:47Z
date_published: 2025-02-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2026-10-16T09:21:57Z
day: '01'
department:
- _id: MaIb
doi: 10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2
external_id:
  isi:
  - '001348590700001'
fulldoi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2
intvolume: '       113'
isi: 1
language:
- iso: eng
month: '02'
oa_version: None
page: 356-373
publication: Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1573-4846
  issn:
  - 0928-0707
publication_status: published
publisher: Springer Nature
quality_controlled: '1'
researchdata_availability: not applicable
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
supplementarymaterial: yes
title: Efficient and rapid sunlight-driven photocatalytic degradation of methylene
  blue dye using multiferroic BiFeO3 nanoparticles
type: journal_article
user_id: 317138e5-6ab7-11ef-aa6d-ffef3953e345
volume: 113
year: '2025'
...