Effect of precursor concentration on the growth of magnesium oxide nanomaterials by direct heating method

Various methods have been developed for the preparation of MgO nanomaterials. However, they often suffer from limitations such as high cost, lengthy synthesis times, and excessive power consumption. In response, a direct heating (DH) method has been developed to address these challenges, enabling rapid (< 10 min) and cost-effective production of MgO nanomaterials. In this study, the DH process was optimized by investigating the influence of precursor solution concentrations (0.01 M to 0.10 M) on the growth of MgO nanomaterials on wire surfaces. Analyses utilizing Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the formation of MgO. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) revealed that the nanomaterials predominantly nano-walls and particles. The optimized synthesis conditions for MgO nanomaterials requires the heating of 0.10 M Mg(NO₃)₂·6H₂O precursor at 50 W.h. for 10 min. Under this specific condition, a favourable surface coverage of 81.54% was achieved where the MgO nanowalls produced has demonstrated promising capability to remove Methylene Blue (MB) dye under UV irradiation. In conclusion, DH technique is a favourable alternative route to synthesize MgO nanomaterial in a simple, cost-and -time efficient and environmentally friendly way.