A simple preparation of carbon doped porous Bi2O3 with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 608; pp. 44 - 48
• Main Authors: Dai, Gaopeng, Liu, Suqin, Liang, Ying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 25.09.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: C-doped Bi2O3; Calcination; Catalysis; Catalytic reactions; Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Photocatalysis; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Visible light; Visible light; Calcination; Photocatalysis; C-doped Bi2O3; Scanning electron microscopy; Bismuth oxide; Doping; C-doped Bi; X ray diffraction; Porous material; Calcining; O; Visible radiation; Ultraviolet visible spectrum; Aqueous solution; Catalyst activity; Absorption edge; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2014.04.097

Carbon doped bismuth oxide with a porous structure was prepared by calcination of bismuth nitrate in glycol solution. The as-prepared samples show enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity. [Display omitted] •C-doped Bi2O3 with a porous structure is obtained by a simply calcination of Bi(NO3)3 in glycol.•The C-doped Bi2O3 exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than the pure Bi2O3.•Carbon was incorporated into the lattice of Bi2O3 lattice. Carbon doped bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) with a porous structure is obtained by a simply calcination of bismuth nitrate pentahydrate (Bi(NO3)3⋅5H2O) in glycol solution. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) in an aqueous solution under visible-light radiation (λ>420nm). The results show that carbon was incorporated into the lattice of Bi2O3. The absorption intensity of C-doped Bi2O3 increases in the region of 450–530nm and the absorption edge has an obvious shift to long wavelength. The C-doped Bi2O3 exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than the pure one due to the synergetic effects of the porous structure and the improved absorption in the visible-light region.