title: Enhanced photocatalytic activity of Bi2WO6 with oxygen vacancies by zirconium doping.
abstract: To overcome the drawback of low photocatalytic efficiency brought by electron-hole recombination, Bi(2)WO(6) photocatalysts with oxygen vacancies were synthesized by zirconium doping. The oxygen vacancies as the positive charge centers can trap the electron easily, thus inhibiting the recombination of charge carriers and prolonging the lifetime of electron. Moreover, the formation of oxygen vacancies favors the adsorption of O(2) on the semiconductor surface, thus facilitating the reduction of O(2) by the trapped electrons to generate superoxide radicals, which play a key role in the oxidation of organics. Visible-light-induced photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and phenol were carried out to evaluate the photoactivity of the products. The results showed that oxygen-deficient Bi(2)WO(6) exhibited much enhanced photoactivity than the Bi(2)WO(6) photocatalyst free of oxygen deficiency. This work provided a new concept for rational design and development of high-performance photocatalysts.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai 200050, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenzhong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Erping
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Jiehui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D001729:Bismuth / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D004579:Electron Transport; D008027:Light; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D019800:Phenol / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012996:Solutions; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors; D017973:Tungsten Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012235:Rhodamines; D012996:Solutions; D017973:Tungsten Compounds; D019800:Phenol; D015040:Zirconium; C029773:rhodamine B; D010100:Oxygen; D001729:Bismuth