Synthesis and catalytic activity of new Gd2BiSbO7 and Gd2YSbO7 nanocatalysts

Abstract

Abstract Gd 2 BiSbO 7 and Gd 2 YSbO 7 were prepared for the first time and the structural and photocatalytic properties of Gd 2 BiSbO 7 and Gd 2 YSbO 7 were investigated. The results showed that Gd 2 BiSbO 7 and Gd 2 YSbO 7 crystallized with the pyrochlore-type structure, cubic crystal system by space group Fd 3 m . The lattice parameters a for Gd 2 BiSbO 7 and Gd 2 YSbO 7 were 10.70352(7) and 10.65365(1) A, respectively. The band gaps of Gd 2 BiSbO 7 and Gd 2 YSbO 7 were estimated to be 2.081 and 2.396 eV, respectively. The photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) over Gd 2 BiSbO 7 and Gd 2 YSbO 7 was investigated under visible light irradiation. The results showed that Gd 2 YSbO 7 and Gd 2 BiSbO 7 owned higher catalytic activity compared with Bi 2 InTaO 7 . Moreover, Gd 2 YSbO 7 showed higher catalytic activity compared with Gd 2 BiSbO 7 for RhB photocatalytic degradation. The photocatalytic RhB degradation followed the first-order reaction kinetics, the apparent first-order rate constant k being 0.01766, 0.01906 and 0.00318 min −1 with Gd 2 BiSbO 7 , Gd 2 YSbO 7 and Bi 2 InTaO 7 , respectively. Complete removal of RhB was realized after visible light irradiation for 230 and 240 min with Gd 2 YSbO 7 and Gd 2 BiSbO 7 . The reduction of the total organic carbon and the evolution of CO 2 revealed complete removal of RhB during the photocatalytic process by Gd 2 YSbO 7 and Gd 2 BiSbO 7 . The possible photocatalytic degradation pathway of RhB was revealed under visible light irradiation.