Electrospun sillenite Bi12MO20 (M = Ti, Ge, Si) nanofibers: general synthesis, band structure, and photocatalytic activity

Sillenite Bi12MO20 (M = Ti, Ge, Si) nanofibers have been fabricated through a facile electrospinning route for photocatalytic applications. Uniform Bi12MO20 (M = Ti, Ge, Si) nanofibers with diameters of 100-200 nm and lengths of up to several millimeters can be readily obtained by thermally treating the electrospun precursors. The photocatalytic activities of these nanofibers for degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) were explored under UV-visible light. The band structure and the degradation mechanisms were also discussed. The fibrous photocatalysts of Bi12TiO20, Bi12SiO20 and Bi12GeO20 exhibit different photocatalytic behaviours, which are attributed to the microstructure, band gap, and electronic structures.