Synergistic effects of morphology control and calcination on the activity of flower-like Bi2WO6-Bi2O3 photocatalysts prepared by an ionic liquid-assisted solvothermal method

A flower-like Bi2WO6-Bi2O3 photocatalyst was prepared by a two-step process, including an ionic liquidassisted solvothermal step and calcination. The effects of the ionic liquids and calcination on the morphology, property, and photocatalytic performance of Bi2WO6-based photocatalysts were studied. The addition of ionic liquids during the preparation of Bi2WO6 based-materials lead to increased sizes of photocatalysts and the formation of more petal sheets in the flower-like microspheres. The results of XRD, XPS, and TEM confirm that Bi2WO6-Bi2O3 photocatalysts formed after the calcination treatment of Bi2WO6 photocatalyst in an air atmosphere. The Bi2WO6-Bi2O3 flower-like photocatalyst exhibits better photocatalytic H2 production activity than the Bi2WO6 photocatalyst. The improved activity of the Bi2WO6-Bi2O3 photocatalysts was attributed to their enhanced light absorption, increased surface area, matched band structure, and the inhibited recombination of the photogenerated charge carriers. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The flower-like Bi2WO6-Bi2O3 photocatalyst prepared by a two-step process shows better photocatalytic H2 production activity than Bi2WO6 photocatalyst due to enhanced light absorption, increased surface area, matched band structure, and inhibited recombination of photogenerated charge carriers.