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

The preparation and photocatalytic performance of Bi₂Fe₄O₉/NiFe₂O₄ composite photocatalyst

Lei Ji, Liduo Chen, and Zhen Jiang

Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing, China

E-mail: 15845817457@163.com

Abstract: The magnetic n–p type Bi₂Fe₄O₉/NiFe₂O₄ heterostructures with different mass fraction ratios were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. A variety of characterization tools involving X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance (DRS UV–Vis), fluorescence were applied to analyze the basic characteristics of Bi₂Fe₄O₉/NiFe₂O₄. The photocatalytic oxidation capacities of Bi₂Fe₄O₉/NiFe₂O₄ composite were studied through the degradation of methylene blue under UV light. The as-prepared samples exhibited more efficient photocatalytic activities than pure Bi₂Fe₄O₉ and NiFe₂O₄, which could be attributed to the formation of the n–p junction between n-Bi₂Fe₄O₉ and p-NiFe₂O₄. Simple magnetic test showed Bi₂Fe₄O₉/NiFe₂O₄ had good magnetic recovering properties. Continuous photocatalytic experiments demonstrated that the heterojunction structure of Bi₂Fe₄O₉/NiFe₂O₄ was stable. Based on the results of trapping agents experiments and fluorescence characterization, the catalytic oxidation mechanism of Bi₂Fe₄O₉/NiFe₂O₄ composite catalysts were further studied, which indicated that ·OH and h⁺ played critical roles in the process of photocatalytic degradation.

Keywords: Bi₂Fe₄O₉/NiFe₂O₄ ; Magnetic ; Photocatalytic degradation ; Catalytic oxidation mechanism 

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-018-0552-1

Chemical Papers 72 (12) 3195–3202 (2018)