Abstract
3D hierarchical microspheres of Cu-loaded Bi2WO6 are successfully prepared by the hydrothermal synthesis method on a large scale. The as-prepared samples are characterized by UV-Vis DRS, BET, XRD, XPS, and SEM. The results reveal that the light absorption of Cu-loaded Bi2WO6 has higher intensity in the visible range and a bathochromic shift of the absorption edge compared to that of pure Bi2WO6. The photocatalytic activity is evaluated by phenol removal from aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation. The results demonstrate that loaded Cu significantly enhances the photocatalytic activity of Bi2WO6, for the loaded Cu acts as the electron receptor on the surface of Bi2WO6, and inhibits the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole. The content of loaded Cu has an impact on the catalytic activity, and the 1.0 wt.% Cu-loaded Bi2WO6 exhibits the best photocatalytic activity in the degradation of phenol. Furthermore, the reaction kinetics of phenol removal from aqueous solution over the Cu-loaded Bi2WO6 is established by the way of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The results indicate that the process of photodegradation of phenol on Cu-loaded Bi2WO6 match the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11665-014-1241-z/MediaObjects/11665_2014_1241_Fig1_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11665-014-1241-z/MediaObjects/11665_2014_1241_Fig2_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11665-014-1241-z/MediaObjects/11665_2014_1241_Fig3_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11665-014-1241-z/MediaObjects/11665_2014_1241_Fig4_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11665-014-1241-z/MediaObjects/11665_2014_1241_Fig5_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11665-014-1241-z/MediaObjects/11665_2014_1241_Fig6_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11665-014-1241-z/MediaObjects/11665_2014_1241_Fig7_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11665-014-1241-z/MediaObjects/11665_2014_1241_Fig8_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11665-014-1241-z/MediaObjects/11665_2014_1241_Fig9_HTML.gif)
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. Kudo and S. Hijii, H2 or O2 Evolution from Aqueous Solutions on Layered Oxide Photocatalysts Consisting of Bi3+ with 6s2 Configuration and d 0 Transition Metal Ions, Chem. Lett., 1999, 28, p 1103–1104
J.W. Tang, Z.G. Zou, and J.H. Ye, Photocatalytic Decomposition of Organic Contaminants by Bi2WO6 Under Visible Light Irradiation, Catal. Lett., 2004, 92, p 53–56
M. Shang, W.Z. Wang, S.M. Sun, L. Zhou, and L. Zhang, Bi2WO6 Nanocrystals with High Photocatalytic Activities Under Visible Light, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2008, 112, p p10407–p10411
K.R. Lai, Y.T. Zhu, J.B. Lu, Y. Dai, and B.B. Huang, N- and Mo-Doping Bi2WO6 in Photocatalytic Water Splitting, Comput. Mater. Sci., 2013, 67, p 88–92
G. Zhao, S.W. Liu, Q.F. Lu, and L.J. Song, Controllable Synthesis of Bi2WO6 Nanofibrous Mat by Electrospinning and Enhanced Visible Photocatalytic Degradation Performances, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2012, 51, p 10307–10312
S.M. Sun, W.Z. Wang, and L. Zhang, Efficient Contaminant Removal by Bi2WO6 Films with Nanoleaf Like Structures Through a Photoelectrocatalytic Process, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2012, 116, p 19413–19418
J. Xu, W. Wang, M. Shang, S. Sun, J. Ren, and L. Zhang, Efficient Visible Light Induced Degradation of Organic Contaminants by Bi2WO6 Film on SiO2 Modified Reticular Substrate, Appl. Catal. B, 2010, 93, p 227–232
Y. Chen, X. Cao, J. Kuang, Z. Chen, J. Chen, and B. Li, The Gas-Phase Photocatalytic Mineralization of Benzene over Visible-Light-Driven Bi2WO6@C Microspheres, Catal. Commun., 2010, 12, p 247–250
M. Shang, W. Wang, J. Ren, S. Sun, L. Wang, and L. Zhang, A Practical Visible-Light-Driven Bi2WO6 Nanofibrous Mat Prepared by Electrospinning, J. Mater. Chem., 2009, 19, p 6213–6218
C. Bhattacharya, H.C. Lee, and A.J. Bard, Rapid Screening by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) of Dopants for Bi2WO6 Improved Photocatalytic Water Oxidation with Zn Doping, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2013, 117, p 9633–9640
Z.J. Zhang, W.Z. Wang, E.P. Gao, S.M. Sun, and L. Zhang, Photocatalysis Coupled with Thermal Effect Induced by SPR on Ag-Loaded Bi2WO6 with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2012, 116, p 25898–25903
G. Colón, L.S. Murcia, M.C. Hidalgo, and J.A. Navío, Sunlight Highly Photoactive Bi2WO6-TiO2 Heterostructures for Rhodamine B Degradation, Chem. Commun., 2010, 46, p 4809–4811
Q.C. Xu, D.V. Wellia, Y.H. Ng, R. Amal, and T.T.Y. Tan, Synthesis of Porous and Visible-Light Absorbing Bi2WO6/TiO2 Heterojunction Films with Improved Photoelectrochemical and Photocatalytic Performances, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2011, 115, p 7419–7428
Z.J. Zhang, W.Z. Wang, L. Wang, and S.M. Sun, Enhancement of Visible-Light Photocatalysis by Coupling with Narrow-Band-Gap Semiconductor: A Case Study on Bi2S3/Bi2WO6, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2012, 4, p 593–597
D.Q. He, L.L. Wang, D.D. Xu, J.L. Zhai, D.J. Wang, and T.F. Xie, Investigation of Photocatalytic Activities Over Bi2WO6/ZnWO4 Composite Under UV Light and its Photoinduced Charge Transfer Properties, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2011, 3, p 3167–3171
F. Duan, Y. Zheng, and M.Q. Chen, Flowerlike PtCl4/Bi2WO6 Composite Photocatalyst with Enhanced Visible-Light-Induced Photocatalytic Activity, Appl. Surf. Sci., 2011, 257, p p1972–p1978
J.H. Ryu, S.Y. Bang, W.S. Kim, G.S. Park, K.M. Kim, J.W. Yoon, K.B. Shim, and N. Koshizaki, Microstructure and Optical Properties of Nanocrystalline CaWO4 Thin Films Deposited by Pulsed Laser Ablation in Room Temperature, J. Alloys Compd., 2007, 441, p 146–151
L.Q. Jing, X.J. Sun, B.F. Xin, B.Q. Wang, W.M. Cai, and H.G. Fu, The Preparation and Characterization of La Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles and Their Photocatalytic Activity, J. Solid State Chem., 2004, 177, p 3375–3382
C. Hu, Y.Q. Lan, J.H. Qu, X.X. Hu, and A.M. Wang, Ag/AgBr/TiO2 Visible Light Photocatalyst for Destruction of Azodyes and Bacteria, J. Phys. Chem. B, 2006, 110, p 4066–4072
L.S. Zhang, K.H. Wong, Z.G. Chen, J.C. Yu, J.C. Zhao, C. Hu, C.Y. Chan, and P.K. Wong, AgBr-Ag-Bi2WO6 Nanojunction System: A Novel and Efficient Photocatalyst with Double Visible-Light Active Components, Appl. Catal. A, 2009, 363, p 221–229
A. Kudo, I. Tsuji, and H. Kato, AgInZn7S9 Solid Solution Photocatalyst for H2 Evolution from Aqueous Solutions Under Visible Light Irradiation, Chem. Commun., 2002, 17, p 1958–1959
C. Zhang and Y.F. Zhu, Synthesis of Square Bi2WO6 Nanoplates as High-Activity Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalysts, Chem. Mater., 2005, 17, p 3537–3545
B. Wiley, Y.G. Sun, B. Mayers, and Y.N. Xia, Shape-Controlled Synthesis of Metal Nanostructures: The Case of Silver, Chem. Eur. J., 2005, 11, p 454–463
Y.X. Tang, P.X. Wee, Y.K. Lai, X.P. Wang, D.G. Gong, P.D. Kanhere, T.T. Lim, Z.L. Dong, and Z. Chen, Hierarchical TiO2 Nanoflakes and Nanoparticles Hybrid Structure for Improved Photocatalytic Activity, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2012, 116, p 2772–2780
J. Ren, W.Z. Wang, S.M. Sun, L. Zhang, and J. Zhang, Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Bi2WO6 Loaded with Ag Nanoparticles Under Visible Light Irradiation, Appl. Catal. B, 2009, 92, p 50–55
D.J. Wang, G.L. Xue, Y.Z. Zhen, F. Fu, and D.S. Li, Monodispersed Ag Nanoparticles Loaded on the Surface of Spherical Bi2WO6 Nanoarchitectures with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activities, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, p 4751–4758
F. Li, X. Li, M. Hou, K. Cheah, and W. Choy, Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Ce3+-TiO2 for 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole Degradation in Aqueous Suspension for Odour Control, Appl. Catal. A, 2005, 285, p 181–189
B. Zhou, X. Zhao, H.J. Liu, J.H. Qu, and C.P. Huang, Visible-Light Sensitive Cobalt-Doped BiVO4 (Co-BiVO4) Photocatalytic Composites for the Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye in Dilute Aqueous Solutions, Appl. Catal. B, 2010, 99, p 214–221
H.B. Fu, C.S. Pan, W.Q. Yao, and Y.F. Zhu, Visible-Light-Induced Degradation of Rhodamine B by Nanosized Bi2WO6, J. Phys. Chem. B, 2005, 109, p 22432–22439
D.K. Ma, S.M. Huang, W.X. Chen, S.W. Hu, F.F. Shi, and K.L. Fan, Self-Assembled Three-Dimensional Hierarchical Umbilicate Bi2WO6 Microspheres from Nanoplates: Controlled Synthesis, Photocatalytic Activities, and Wettability, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2009, 113, p 4369–4374
J.G. Yu, J.F. Xiong, B. Cheng, Y. Yu, and J.B. Wang, Hydrothermal Preparation and Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity of Bi2WO6 Powders, J. Solid State Chem., 2005, 178, p 1968–1972
S.J. Park, S. Kim, S. Lee, Z.G. Khim, K. Char, and T. Hyeon, Synthesis and Magnetic Studies of Uniform Iron Nanorods and Nanospheres, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2000, 122, p 8581–8582
V.A. Sakkas, I.M. Arabatzis, I.K. Konstantinou, A.D. Dimou, T.A. Albanis, and P. Falaras, Metolachlor Photocatalytic Degradation Using TiO2 Photocatalysts, Appl. Catal. B, 2004, 49, p 195–205
A.I. Kontos, I.M. Arabatzis, D.S. Tsoukleris, A.G. Kontos, M.C. Bernard, D.E. Petrakis, and P. Falaras, Efficient Photocatalysts by Hydrothermal Treatment of TiO2, Catal. Today, 2005, 101, p 275–281
J.B. Zhong, J.L. Wang, L. Tao, M.C. Gong, Z.M. Liu, and Y.Q. Chen, Photocatalytic Degradation of Gaseous Benzene Over TiO2/Sr2CeO4: Kinetic Model and Degradation Mechanisms, J. Hazard. Mater., 2007, 139, p 323–331
M. Lewandowski and D.F. Ollis, A Two-Site Kinetic Model Simulating Apparent Deactivation During Photocatalytic Oxidation of Aromatics on Titanium Dioxide (TiO2), Appl. Catal. B, 2003, 43, p 309–327
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21406188), and the Industrial Public Relation Project of Department of Science & Technology of Shaanxi (Grant No. 2014K10-04). This work was also financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Provincial Education Office (Grant No. 2013JK0689), and Industrial Public Relation Project of Science & Technology Bureau of Yan’an City (Grant No. 2012 kg-09).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gao, X., Fu, F. & Li, W. 3D Hierarchical Microspheres of Cu-Doped Bi2WO6: Synthesis, Characterization, and Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 23, 4342–4349 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-014-1241-z
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-014-1241-z