Fabrication and Enhanced Visible-light Photocatalytic Activity of Pt/Bi₂WO₆Composite with Hierarchical Flower-like Structure

Abstract

Visible light activated Bi2WO6 was synthesized by the precipitation method with hydrothermal techniques firstly. And then a series of Pt/Bi2WO6 composite micro-flowers (Pt mass concentration: 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%) assembled by Bi2WO6 nano-sheets were synthesized by photo-deposition method. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffusion absorption spectroscopy (DRS), high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic activity of the products was evaluated by degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under a Xenon lamp irradiation (λ>420nm). The results showed that sample synthesized at 180°C for 12h (pH=4) had a 3D hierarchical flower-like structure and excellent photocatalytic activity. After photo-deposition of Pt on the surface, the morphology of the sample did not change obviously. However, its photocatalytic activity was greatly enhanced. The products with 1.0% mass ratio of Pt to Bi2WO6 exhibited the highest RhB degradation of 86.5% under visible light irradiation in 120 min, much higher than that of pure Bi2WO6 with RhB degradation of 36.4%. The stability test showed that no obvious loss of photocatalytic activity of the product was detected after four cycles.