ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ heterostructure: preparation, characterization, and photocatalytic activity

Yingying Shi, Ming Xiao, Lijun Luo, Yefei Zhang, Shan Wang, Yu Chen, Yanju Long, Lingxin Li, and Fengzhi Jiang

Yunnan University, Kunming, China

E-mail: fengzhij@ynu.edu.cn

Abstract: Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ composite was successfully fabricated by a conventional sol–gel method and structural properties were characterized based on X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer, nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurement, and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ had a good absorption for visible light, which was benefit to photocatalytic activity. The highest degradation efficiency was obtained when the content of Bi₂O₃ in Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ was 63.9%. Effect of experimental conditions was investigated, and the highest photocatalytic activity of Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ was observed at photocatalyst dosage of 0.5 g/L, initial BPA concentration of 10 mg/L, and solution pH of 6.3. Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ photocatalyst exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for BPA, and the reaction rate constant over Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ composite was 2.23, 3.65, and 8.71 times higher than that of BiFeO₃, Bi₂O₃ and commercial TiO₂ (P25), respectively. Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ showed high photocatalytic activity after three cycles, suggesting that it was a stable photocatalyst. The possible photocatalytic mechanism has been discussed on the basis of the theoretical calculation and the experimental results. The hydroxyl and superoxide radicals together with photogenerated holes played significant roles in the photocatalytic reaction.

Keywords: Bi₂O₃ ; BiFeO₃ ; Composites ; Sol–gel ; Photocatalysis ; Bisphenol A 

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-018-0384-z

Chemical Papers 72 (6) 1327–1337 (2018)