Effect of amino acids as capping agent on the size and morphology of pure TmVO4 nanoparticles and their photocatalyst properties

In this paper, thulium vanadate (TmVO4) nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple precipitation method based on the reaction between thulium nitrate hexahydrate and ammonium metavanadate in water. Besides, three capping agent such as alanine, valine, and glycine were used to investigate their effects on the morphology and particle size of thulium vanadate nanoparticles. According to the vibrating sample magnetometer, thulium vanadate nanoparticles indicated a paramagnetic behavior at room temperature. In addition, the photocatalyst activity of as-prepared thulium vanadate nanoparticles was evaluated by degradation of methyl orange under ultraviolet light irradiation. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of as-obtained products were characterized by techniques such as XRD, SEM, EDX, and UV-Vis spectroscopy.