Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2013, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (02): 411-417.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB201211211

• CATALYSIS AND SURFACE SCIENCE • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Controllable Synthesis and Photocatalytic Activity of Bi4Ti3O12 Particles with Different Morphologies

LIN Xue1, GUAN Qing-Feng2, LIU Ting-Ting1, ZHANG Yao1, ZOU Chun-Jie1   

  1. 1 College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Preparation and Application Environmentally Friendly Materials of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal University, Siping 136000, Jilin Province, P. R. China;
    2 School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu Province, P. R. China
  • Received:2012-09-14 Revised:2012-11-15 Published:2013-01-14
  • Supported by:

    The project was supported by the Key Laboratory of Preparation and Application of Environmentally Friendly Materials of the Ministry of Education of China and Doctoral Scientific Research Project of Jilin Normal University, China.

Abstract:

Bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12, BIT) particles with different morphologies were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal process and their optical and photocatalytic properties were investigated. The crystal structure and microstructures were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD patterns demonstrate that the as-prepared BIT samples have layered perovskite structure. FESEM shows that BIT crystals can be fabricated in different morphologies by simply manipulating the reaction parameters of the hydrothermal process. The UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-Vis DRS) reveal that the band gaps of the BIT photocatalysts are about 2.88-2.93 eV. The as-prepared BIT photocatalysts exhibit higher photocatalytic activities toward the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation (λ>420 nm) when compared with traditional N-doped TiO2 (N-TiO2). The influence of morphology on the photocatalytic properties of BIT was also studied. BIT nanobelt structures displayed the highest photocatalytic activity. Up to 95.0% MO was decolorized after visible light irradiation for 360 min.

Key words: Bi4Ti3O12, Nanosphere, Nanoplate, Nanobelt, Controllable synthesis, Photocatalytic degradation