Facile synthesis of Pd-doped Bi<inf>2</inf>WO<inf>6</inf> nanoplates used for enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalysis

Abstract

Visible-light-driven Bi2WO6 nanoplates doped with different contents of Pd were prepared by hydrothermal method. Phase, morphology, atomic vibration, oxidation state and optical properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The pure sample was orthorhombic Bi2WO6 nanoplates. Upon being doped with Pd, the phase is still remaining as that of the pure one. The nanoplates were decreased in size with increasing in the content of Pd dopant. The 3% Pd-doped Bi2WO6 nanoplates have the best photocatalytic efficiency of 99.33% because h+ and ●O2− are the main active radicals in degrading of rhodamine B illuminated by visible radiation.