Premium
Microwave Hydrothermal Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Activities of Single‐Crystalline Bismuth Ferric Nanocrystals
Author(s) -
Zhu Xinhua,
Hang Qiming,
Xing Zhibiao,
Yang Yun,
Zhu Jianmin,
Liu Zhiguo,
Ming Naiben,
Zhou Peng,
Song Ye,
Li Zhaosheng,
Yu Tao,
Zou Zhigang
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2011.04430.x
Subject(s) - materials science , photocatalysis , bismuth , nanocrystal , rhodamine b , aqueous solution , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , hydrothermal circulation , chemical engineering , visible spectrum , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , chemistry , catalysis , metallurgy , organic chemistry , engineering
Spherical perovskite‐type bismuth ferritic nanocrystals with diameters of 10–50 nm and hexagonal‐shaped sillenite‐type ones with sizes of 18–33 nm were synthesized at low temperatures by microwave hydrothermal process. Their structural, optical, and photocatalytic properties were investigated. The single‐crystalline nature of the as‐synthesized nanocrystals was confirmed by X‐ray diffraction, selected area electron diffraction, and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations show that Fe element exists as the Fe 3+ valence state, as well as Bi element as Bi 3+ in the as‐prepared bismuth ferritic nanocrystals. The visible‐light photocatalytic activities evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B in aqueous solution show that the sillenite‐type bismuth ferritic nanocrystals exhibit higher photocatalytic ability than the perovskite‐type ones, which can be ascribed to their small mean particle size and the unique hexagonal‐shape morphology, and also the structural characteristics of sillenite‐type compound. The present results demonstrate that the hexagonal‐shaped sillenite‐type bismuth ferritic nanocrystals can be used as novel visible‐light‐responsive photocatalysts for degradation of organic compounds.