A simple preparation of carbon doped porous Bi_2O_3 with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

摘要

Carbon doped bismuth oxide (Bi_2O_3) with a porous structure is obtained by a simply calcination of bismuth nitrate pentahydrate (Bi(NO_3)_3-5H_2O) in glycol solution. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) in an aqueous solution under visible-light radiation (λ > 420 nm). The results show that carbon was incorporated into the lattice of Bi_2O_3. The absorption intensity of C-doped Bi_2O_3 increases in the region of 450-530 nm and the absorption edge has an obvious shift to long wavelength. The C-doped Bi_2O_3 exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than the pure one due to the synergetic effects of the porous structure and the improved absorption in the visible-light region.