Structural, optical and photocatalytic properties of new solid photocatalysts, Bi xIn 1− xTaO 4 (0 < x < 1)

Abstract

The Bi x In 1− x TaO 4 (0 < x < 1) photocatalysts were synthesized by solid-state reaction and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction. Rietveld structure refinement revealed that the variation of x in the Bi x In 1− x TaO 4 photocatalysts could cause the change in crystal structure. The structure of the Bi 0.2In 0.8TaO 4 photocatalyst is monoclinic system with space group P2/a. However, the structure of the Bi x In 1− x TaO 4 ( x = 0.5 and 0.8) photocatalysts is triclinic system with space group P-1. The band gaps of the Bi x In 1− x TaO 4 ( x = 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8) photocatalysts were estimated to be about 2.86, 2.71 and 2.74 eV, respectively. Under visible light irradiation ( λ > 420 nm), H 2 and O 2 were evolved using the Bi x In 1− x TaO 4 photocatalysts from CH 3OH/H 2O and AgNO 3/H 2O solutions, respectively. The Bi 0.5In 0.5TaO 4 photocatalyst showed the highest activity compared with that of the Bi x In 1− x TaO 4 ( x = 0.2 and 0.8) photocatalysts.