High-yielding strategy for microwave-assisted synthesis of Cr₂O₃ nanocatalyst

A microwave irradiation-based high-efficiency method was utilized in this study to prepare novel chromium (III) oxide (Cr₂O₃) nanostructures with their own distinctive properties. The synthesis method was accordingly conducted in optimum conditions for the time duration of 20 min, the power of 360 W, and the microwave temperature of 30 °C. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs also revealed a highly homogeneous morphology of crystalline nanostructures. Besides, the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data demonstrated the single-phase existence of these components. Thermal stability and development of pure Cr₂O₃ samples were further investigated by thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and DSC. Moreover, the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) technique showed a high specific surface area and significant porosity of these materials. As well, value-stream mapping (VSM) was employed to test the magnetic characteristics of the products. The findings established that microwave irradiation could play a key role in the synthesis of Cr₂O₃ compounds in environmental conditions. The effective microwave-assisted route applied in this study for the synthesis of Cr₂O₃ nanocatalysts with high physico-chemical properties was also remarkable compared with other nanocatalysts.