Abstract
Nano-BiOBr photocatalysts were successfully prepared by hydrothermal synthesis using the ethylene glycol solution. The nano-BiOBr photocatalysts were characterized and investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL), and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), and the catalytic ability toward photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) was also explored. The results showed that the crystallinity of the nano-BiOBr photocatalyst decreased with the increase of the concentration, while it increased with the amount of the applied deionized water. The morphology of the nano-BiOBr photocatalyst changed from microspheres to cubes and then to a mixture of microspheres and flakes with the increasing of the concentration and from microspheres to flakes with the addition of the deionized water. The results indicated that the concentration and solvents have an essential influence on the bandgap energy values of the nano-BiOBr photocatalyst, and photocatalyst showed an excellent photocatalyst activity toward photodegradation of RhB. The degradation yields of photocatalyst decreased with the increase of the concentration and increased with the addition of the deionized water. PL intensity of photocatalyst increased with the increase of the concentration and weakened with the addition of the deionized water.
Highlights
In recent years, the phenomenon of global water pollution has become a more and more severe issue with the rapid development of the economy, which has attracted widespread attention because of the close relationship between water resources and people’s daily work and life [1, 2]
The intensity of the diffraction peak is weakened with the increase of the concentration, indicating that the concentrations are the key factor affecting the crystallinity of nano-BiOBr photocatalyst, 2-theta was right-shifted, and the crystal space d decreased according to the Prague equation (d sin θ = nλ)
The intensity of the diffraction peak increases with the increase of deionized water (DI), indicating that the increase of DI throughout all the experiments is beneficial to increase the crystallinity of nano-BiOBr photocatalyst; the influence factors were more, and the main reason remains to be further studied
Summary
The phenomenon of global water pollution has become a more and more severe issue with the rapid development of the economy, which has attracted widespread attention because of the close relationship between water resources and people’s daily work and life [1, 2]. Semiconductor bismuth halide (BiOX, X = Cl, Br, I)-based photocatalysts have attracted extensive attention from researchers because of their unique structure and excellent photocatalytic properties [6, 7]. The structure, morphology, crystallinity, and phase formation of the photocatalysts can be effectively obtained through controllable synthesis because of the slow product formation rate, simple and easy ways to control reaction conditions, and stable reaction environment during the water- (solvent-) based thermal reaction [16]. Nano-BiOBr microspheres were synthesized previously by the solvothermal method using ethylene glycol (EG) as a solvent [17]. Nano-BiOX microspheres were obtained using other solvothermal methods and the same solvent EG [18]. The influences of different solvents and concentrations of precursors on the structure, morphology, optical properties, and photocatalytic activities were investigated systematically
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