Photocatalytic activities of various pentavalent bismuthates under visible light irradiation

LiBiO3, NaBiO3, MgBi2O6, KBiO3, ZnBi2O6, SrBi2O6, AgBiO3, BaBi2O6 and PbBi2O6 were synthesized by various processes such as hydrothermal treatment, heating and so on. These materials were examined for their photocatalytic activities in the decolorization of methylene blue and decomposition of phenol under visible light irradiation. For methylene blue decolorization, the presence of KBiO3 resulted in complete decoloration within 5 min. For phenol decomposition, NaBiO3 showed the highest activity, while LiBiO3, SrBi2O6 and BaBi2O6 possessed almost comparable decomposition rates. Their decomposition rates were apparently higher than that by anatase (P25) under UV irradiation.