Synthesis of mesoporous Bi2O3/CeO2 microsphere for photocatalytic degradation of Orange II dye

We report on the visible-light responsive porous assembly of Bi2O3/CeO2 microspheres, which were synthesized via a simple hydrothermal reaction between Bi(NO3)3·5H2O and Ce(NO3)3·6H2O in the presence of ethylene glycol and ethanol. Systematic structural (X-ray diffraction (XRD)), morphological (field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM)), BET surface area and diffuse reflectance spectral (DRS) analyses were carried out to characterize the formed product. The effects of experimental parameters on the microstructural and morphological behavior of Bi2O3/CeO2 composites were discussed. The semiconductor material as obtained was evaluated as a heterogeneous photocatalyst for the photolytic degradation of an azo dye in water and the degradation was found to follow pseudo-first-order rate kinetics. The study compares the rate constants of the new hybrid catalyst to a pristine Bi2O3 and CeO2, which has excellent catalytic properties under visible light irradiation for the degradation of Orange II dye.