title: Rapid sonochemical synthesis of irregular nanolaminar-like Bi2WO6 as efficient visible-light-active photocatalysts.
abstract: Irregular Bi(2)WO(6) nanolaminars have been successfully synthesized via a rapid sonochemical approach using bismuth nitrate and tungstic acid as precursors in an aqueous solution. The characteristics of them were investigated in detail by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N(2) adsorption, pore value, PL spectroscopy and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). These irregular nanolaminars are of geometric shapes of orthorhombic Bi(2)WO(6) with their basal plane being (001). They possess high crystallinity, lager surface area and pore value, which means fewer traps and stronger photocatalytic activity. The growth mechanism of such special nanolaminar was related to the sonochemical synthesis route, which played a key role in the formation of Bi(2)WO(6) nanolaminar. Simultaneously, it was found that the formation of Bi(2)WO(6) nanolaminar is a time dependent process. The Bi(2)WO(6) nanolaminar has higher photocatalytic activity than bulk Bi(2)WO(6) nanoparticle obtained by refluxing method for rhodamine B (Rh.B) degradation under visible light irradiation (λ>400 nm).
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Advanced Building Materials, Anhui University of Architecture, Anhui Hefei 230022, PR China. zhang-fengjun@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Feng-Jun
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fa-Zhi
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang