Photocatalytic properties of BiFeO3 powders synthesized by the mixture of CTAB and Glycine

Highly pure BiFeO3 (BFO) powders were prepared by the solution combustion synthesis method using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and glycine as fuels at various fuel-to-oxidant (phi) ratios. Microstructural characteristics, morphology, optical properties, and thermal analysis were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and differential thermal/thermogravimetry (DTA/TGA), respectively. The combusted powders prepared at different fuel content contained a small amount of impurity phases such as Bi24Fe2O39 and Bi2Fe4O9. During the calcination of BFO powders at 600 degrees C for 1 h, a nearly pure BFO phase was produced. Combusted powders photodegraded about 80% of methylene blue dye at phi=2 through 90 min of visible light irradiation.