Properties and Photocatalytic Activity ofβ-Ga2O3Nanorods under Simulated Solar Irradiation
β-Ga2O3nanorods are prepared by hydrothermal method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectra. The results reveal that high crystallinity, monoclinic phase ofβ-Ga2O3nanorods were prepared with a diameter of about 60 nm and length of 500 nm. Photoluminescence study indicates that theβ-Ga2O3nanorods exhibit a broad blue light emission at room temperature. Theβ-Ga2O3nanorods displayed high photocatalytic activity under simulated solar irradiation; after 2 h irradiation, over 95% of methylene blue solution and over 90% of methyl orange solution were decolorized. Since this process does not require additional hydrogen peroxide and uses solar light, it can be developed as an economically feasible and environmentally friendly method to treat dye effluent.