This study highlights on a convenient and optimised method for the preparation of nanocrystalline magnesium oxide (MgO) catalyst via sol-gel combustion method. Nanocrystalline MgO was prepared by using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a complexing agent and metal nitrate (Mg (NO 3 )2.6H2O) as a precursor. The obtained MgO powder was calcined at 200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C and 800 °C. All the MgO calcined samples including commercial MgO were characterised using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and N2 adsorption-desorption Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). From FTIR analysis, the appearance of a peak at 3700 cm-1 represent the O-H stretching bonded with Mg and the broad absorption peak at 3421 cm-1 indicates O-H stretching band which is due to the absorption of moisture from the surrounding. (BET) results indicate the MgO sample that has been calcined at 400 °C shows the largest surface area. SEM images show there is porosity in all MgO powder. While XRD patterns revealed that higher temperature of calcination gives higher crystallinity of the MgO samples.

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