Abstract
The photocatalyst bismuth oxide, which is active under visual light, was deposited using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). Sixteen different samples were generated under different parameters of the APPJ to investigate their catalytic activity. The prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), laser scanning microscopy (LSM), and UV–vis diffuse reflectance absorption spectroscopy. The measured data, such as average sample thickness, coverage ratio, phase fraction, chemical composition, band gap, and photocatalytic performance were used for comparing the samples. The XRD analysis showed that the deposition process produced a mixed phase of monocline Bi2O3 and tetragonal Bi2O2.33. Using the Rietveld refinement method, phase fractions could be determined and compared with the XPS data. The non-stoichiometric phases were influenced by the introduction of nitrogen to the surface as a result of the deposition process. The band gap calculated from the diffuse absorption spectroscopy shows that Bi2O2.33 with 2.78 eV had a higher band gap compared to the phases with a high proportion of Bi2O3 (2.64 eV). Furthermore, it was shown that the band gap was dependent on the thickness of the sample and oxygen vacancies or loss of oxygen in the surface. All coatings had degraded methyl orange (MO) under irradiation by xenon lamps.
Highlights
The two main objectives of semiconductor photocatalysts are the photolysis of water for storing energy in chemical bonds, for example in the form of hydrogen and oxygen, and the catalytic degradation of pollutants [1]
The layer created can be described as a faceted structure (FS)
The parameters that were changed for the experiments were plasma input power (PP), volumetric flowwere rate produced of the expelled to system generate the plasma torch, traversing speed Regensburg, (v), powder
Summary
The two main objectives of semiconductor photocatalysts are the photolysis of water for storing energy in chemical bonds, for example in the form of hydrogen and oxygen, and the catalytic degradation of pollutants [1]. In addition to the well-known photocatalysts, such as titanium or zinc oxide, bismuth oxide is becoming increasingly important. Bismuth oxide is a polymorphic oxide with six different crystal phases [2,3]. All phases have different crystal structures and various optical, electrical, and mechanical properties [5], which are all important for the practical application of a photocatalyst. Certain phases of this semiconductor, as reported in the literature, are characterized by desirable properties such as a narrow energy band gap [6], high refractive index [7], and photoconductivity and photoluminescence properties [8]
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