Synthesis of α-Bismuth oxide using solution combustion method and its photocatalytic properties

Abstract

The monoclinic bismuth oxide was prepared by the solution combustion method using bismuthyl nitrate as the raw material and citric acid as fuel. The synthesis process consisted of the formation of a clear transparent solution and the formation of white powder after heating the mixture at 250 °C for 2 hours. The yellow pale crystalline materials were obtained after calcination of the white powder at 600 °C for 80 minutes. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of the product was also studied using methyl orange as a model pollutant. The result showed that the coral reef-like bismuth oxide was able to degrade 50 mL methyl orange (5 ppm) by 37.8% within 12 hours irradiation using 75-watt tungsten lamp.