Abstract

Taguchi robust design (TRD) was used to optimize the process for fabrication lutetium carbonate which was then used for the synthesis of lutetium oxide nano-particles, which were subjected to characterization analyses. Through TRD the significance of variables including the concentrations of lutetium and carbonate ion solutions, and the flow rate at which one reagent was added to the other (Fy), and the reactor temperature during the formation of the carbonate particles in the chemical precipitation stage were evaluated. The optimum conditions were found to lead to the formation of carbonate nano-particles with average diameter of 35 nm, which were then thermally treated at 750 A degrees C in an air atmosphere, to form spherical lutetium oxide (Lu2O3) nanoparticles of about 36 nm in average diameter. The produced nanoparticles were studied through SEM, TEM, XRD and FT-IR to evaluate their characteristics, and they were also evaluated as photocatalysts in the UV-induced degradation of methyl orange (MO) in an aqueous media.