A superior visible light-driven photocatalyst: Europium-doped bismuth tungstate hierarchical microspheres

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 537; pp. 24 - 28
• Main Authors: Tian, Yu, Zhang, Lide, Zhang, Junxi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 05.10.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alloys; Bismuth; Catalysis; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Europium; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Light irradiation; Microspheres; Photocatalysis; Rare earth alloys and compounds; Semiconductors; Theory of reactions, general kinetics; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Tungstates; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Catalysis; Semiconductors; Chemical synthesis; Rare earth alloys and compounds; Europium addition; Rhodamine; Semiconductor materials; Bismuth tungstates; Diffuse reflection; Photocatalysis; Doping; Hydrothermal synthesis; Oxidative degradation; Visible radiation; Ultraviolet visible spectrum; Aqueous solution; Performance; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2012.05.029

► The Eu/Bi2WO6 hierarchical microspheres were successfully synthesized. ► The Eu doping led to the enhanced absorbance in the visible light region. ► The Eu/Bi2WO6 composites exhibited the high visible light photocatalytic activity. Novel visible light-driven photocatalyst europium-doped bismuth tungstate (Eu/Bi2WO6) hierarchical microspheres has been synthesized by a hydrothermal route. The obtained products were characterized by SEM, EDX, XRD, XPS and DRS technologies. Their photocatalytic activities were determined by oxidative decomposition of Rhodamine-B (RhB) in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. The results revealed that the europium doping greatly improved the photocatalytic efficiency of Bi2WO6 microspheres. The photodegradation reactions of RhB by Eu/Bi2WO6 composites followed the first-order kinetics. The possible reasons for Eu/Bi2WO6 composites showing higher activity than pure Bi2WO6 are mainly ascribed to the enhanced absorption in the visible region and the suppressed recombination between photogenerated electrons and holes in composite samples.