Study on photocatalytic properties of BiFeO3 prepared by hydrothermal method

BiFeO3 nanopowders were prepared by hydrothermal method, using mitrate, nitric acid, sodium hydroxide and water as raw materials. The effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, pH value on the reaction were studied. The phase structure and microstructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, DSC-TGA, VSM. The results indicated that the reaction products and their morphologies depend on reaction conditions. BiFeO3 powders with average grain size of 300 nm were prepared by adjusting the reaction conditions. BiFeO3 nanoparticles are regularly spherical in shape with uniform particle size distribution. At last, the photocatalytic activity of BiFeO3 nanoparticles was investigated by the degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation. The results indieated BiFeO3 particles fabricated through hydrothermal synthesis method can be used as an effective photocatalyst under visible light.