Synthesis of Metallic Pt Nanoparticles Modified Bi2WO6 Thin Nanoplates with Enhanced Photodegradation of Rhodamine B under Visible Light

Bi2WO6 synthesized by hydrothermal method and heterostructure 1-10wt% Pt/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites synthesized by Sono chemical-assisted deposition method were studied for photocatalysis. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform InfraRed (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectrometry, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and UV-Visible Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS). The analytical results certified that metallic Pt nanoparticles were loaded on orthorhombic Bi2WO6 thin nanoplates and the visible light absorption of the nanocomposites was improved. The photocatalytic activities of the as-synthesized samples in degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) were investigated under visible light for 180 min. The photodegradation efficiencies were 35.33%, 66.18%, 86.91%, and 94.58% for 0%, 1%, 5%, and 10% Pt/Bi2WO6 samples, respectively. The 10% Pt/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites have the highest photocatalytic activity because the Pt nanoparticles have the highest activity in harvesting visible light and the strongest Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) effect. A possible mechanism for photocatalysis, main active radicals of the photodegradation process, and recyclability of the heterostructure Pt/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites were also investigated in this research.