Carbon-modified bismuth titanatenanorods with enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic property

Abstract

Carbon-modified bismuth titanate (C-Bi₁₂TiO₂₀) nanorods as visible-light-driven photocatalysts were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process in the presence of glucose followed by the calcinations in Ar gas at 500 °C. The morphology, crystallinity of Bi₁₂TiO₂₀, and the nature of carbon in the composites obtained with different glucose amounts were characterized. Electron microscopy results, light absorption of C-Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ at wavelengths longer than 485 nm and X-ray photoelectron spectra clearly confirmed the carbon modification. Further results indicated that glucose did not affect the final crystalline structure or the band gap of Bi₁₂TiO₂₀, but it had great influence on the photocatalytic activity of Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ towards rhodamine-B (RhB) degradation. It was found that the appropriate amount of carbon can significantly facilitate the separation of photogenerated electron-holes and enhance the photocatalytic degradation efficiency. Especially, the C-Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ photocatalyst using 0.05 g glucose as carbon source can totally decompose RhB after 120 min irradiation. All results demonstrated that this work provides an alternate way to improve the photoactivity of Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ nanomaterial that is promising as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst.