Synthesis and characterization of cerium phosphates obtained by microwave

• Grant number: 14/00279-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2014
• End date: December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Osvaldo Antonio Serra
• Grantee: Marina Enriquetto Mascarelli
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Although the sun is essential for life on Earth, it can cause a lot of damages to health because of the ultraviolet radiation (UV) that is part of its light. To avoid the health damage caused for exposure to ultraviolet radiation, it is necessary the use of UV filters to act as barrier.Cerium phosphates have already been tested and showed great results as UV absorber but the synthesis methods are slow and require treatment of the material after synthesis.Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis provides many advantages in the methodology mainly because of the reducing of synthesis time, beside the obtainment of reproducible materials and improvement of some properties.The samples will be analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , X-ray diffraction , scanning electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy ,UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, zeta potential and photocatalytic activity in order to characterize obtained cerium phosphates and compare them to those produced by traditional hydrothermal synthesis.