Synthesis of Barium Ferrite for Visible Light Photocatalysis Applications

Orthorhombic phase BaFe2O4 powder was synthesized by using a solid state reaction method and investigated for its visible light photocatalytic properties. The crystallization of the structural phase was found to occur at a temperature above 1000 degrees C yielding a pure orthorhombic phase BaFe2O4 (SG- B b21m) at 1100 degrees C. The estimated band gap, as determined by UV-Vis diffuse reflectance studies, was similar to 1.9 eV (652 nm). A new material was designed and fabricated as Pt/RuO2/BaFe2O4 to enhance its photocatalytic activity. A very low (<1 wt% RuO2) co-catalyst doping over BaFe2O4 was important for achieving high photocatalytic efficiency. The newly designed system was investigated for photo-decomposition of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and of water under visible light (>= 420 nm). Its photocatalytic activity was significantly higher than that of platinized TiO2-xNx. A mechanism has been proposed to explain the photocatalytic behavior of the designed BaFe2O4 photocatalyst.