Realization of Visible Light Photocatalysis by Wide Band Gap Pure SnO2 and Study of In2O3 Sensitization Porous SnO2 Photolysis Catalyst

Abstract

AbstractSnO2 is a wide band gap semiconductor which has no photocatalysis under visible light. In this study, the disordered porous SnO2 precursor was constructed which showed obvious photocatalysis under visible light irradiation. Its degradation rate to RhB was 51.66% after 100 min, and the amount of hydrogen produced could reach 11.13 mmol⋅g−1 after 3.5 h under visible light irradiation. And then, In2O3 was used as sensitizer to increase the specific surface area of porous SnO2 matrix. The specific surface area of porous SnO2 was increased from 167.355 m2⋅g−1 to 544.394 m2⋅g−1 when the doping amount of In2O3 was 1.5 wt.%. The photocatalytic properties of the porous SnO2 matrix was also vastly increased. The highest photocatalytic activity was observed for the In2O3/SnO2‐1.5 sample, the degradation rate of RhB was 93.50% after 100 min which was 1.85 times of the SnO2 matrix, and the hydrogen production rate could reach 21.51 mmol⋅g−1 after 3.5 h which was 1.94 times of the SnO2 matrix under visible light irradiation. The catalyst had a much higher stability which could be recycled utilize.