Carbon-modified bismuth titanate nanorods with enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic property

Carbon-modified bismuth titanate (C-Bi12TiO20) nanorods as visible-light-driven photocatalysts were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process in the presence of glucose followed by the calcinations in Ar gas at 500 degrees C. The morphology, crystallinity of Bi12TiO20, and the nature of carbon in the composites obtained with different glucose amounts were characterized. Electron microscopy results, light absorption of C-Bi12TiO20 at wavelengths longer than 485 nm and X-ray photoelectron spectra clearly confirmed the carbon modification. Further results indicated that glucose did not affect the final crystalline structure or the band gap of Bi12TiO20, but it had great influence on the photocatalytic activity of Bi12TiO20 towards rhodamine-B (RhB) degradation. It was found that the appropriate amount of carbon can significantly facilitate the separation of photogenerated electron-holes and enhance the photocatalytic degradation efficiency. Especially, the C-Bi12TiO20 photocatalyst using 0.05 g glucose as carbon source can totally decompose RhB after 120 min irradiation. All results demonstrated that this work provides an alternate way to improve the photoactivity of Bi12TiO20 nanomaterial that is promising as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst.