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Synthesis and Characterization of a BiNbO 4 /Bi 2 S 3 Nanocomposite with Improved Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Activity
Author(s) -
Liu Suqin,
Zhou Jinghui,
Zhou Yang,
Liu Yuanyuan,
Dai Gaopeng
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chemistryselect
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 2365-6549
DOI - 10.1002/slct.202001532
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , rhodamine b , materials science , photoexcitation , nanocomposite , reaction rate constant , visible spectrum , heterojunction , photochemistry , adsorption , nanotechnology , kinetics , chemistry , optoelectronics , catalysis , organic chemistry , excited state , physics , quantum mechanics , nuclear physics
Abstract A novel BiNbO 4 /Bi 2 S 3 nanocomposite was successfully synthesized by combining precipitation, heat‐treatment, and ion exchange technique. The corresponding crystal structure, morphology, chemical components, and adsorption isotherm were fully characterized. The visible‐light photocatalytic performance was investigated in the degradation reaction of Rhodamine B (RhB). Compared to the conversions obtained using BiNbO 4 (47%) or Bi 2 S 3 (52%) as the photocatalyst (80 min), BiNbO 4 /Bi 2 S 3 composite demonstrated a much higher photocatalytic efficiency with conversion up to 87% and great durability. The best fitting of photodecomposition of RhB into a first‐order reaction gave an observed rate constant of k obs = 3.46 ± 0.33 × 10 −2 min −1 (t 1/2 =20.0 min). Our active species trapping experiment confirms that photoexcited holes and •O 2 − radicals formed in situ under photoexcitation directly oxidize the dye molecules. The improved photocatalytic activity was likely due to the decrease of charge recombination rate resulted from possible interfacial charge transfers through the heterojunction.