Structural, optical and magnetic properties of α-Fe2O3-SiO2 and Dy2O3-SiO2 composites produced by a Facile method

We prepared SiO2, Fe2O3-SiO2, and Dy2O3-SiO2 composites by an enhanced method and reported the result of their structural, optical and magnetic properties. In the x-ray diffraction results of the Fe2O3-SiO2, Fe2O3 and the SiO2 it is evident that these composites are crystallized in rhombohedral and trigonal structures, respectively. In theDy2O3-SiO2 composite, SiO2 transforms into a trigonal structure with the addition of Dy. The absorption bands belong to Fe2O3, and Dy2O3 were obtained using the Fourier transform infrared spectra. In ultraviolet–visible spectra, the photocatalytic properties of Fe2O3-SiO2 and Dy2O3-SiO2 were determined as a function of time at room temperature. Maximum transmittance change at 800 nm was 75% and 40% for composites Fe2O3-SiO2, and Dy2O3-SiO2, respectively. The photocatalytic property of Dy2O3-SiO2 composite increases gradually from short to long in the wavelength region where it exhibits a maximum value in the visible region. In magnetic measurements, a weak ferromagnetic behavior was observed in the Fe2O3-SiO2, while Dy2O3-SiO2 exhibited paramagnetic behavior as expected. The saturation and coercivity values for Fe2O3-SiO2 were found to be 0.15 Am2kg−1 and 40 mT, respectively.