Facile Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB)-assisted Synthesis of Calcium Bismuthate Nanoflakes with Solar Light Photocatalytic Performance
Background: Wastewater with dyes will pollute the environment and cause serious risk to human health and aquatic biota. Gentian violet (GV) belongs to typical triphenylmethane dyes and is difficult to be degraded. Calciumbismuthate nanoflakes possess good photocatalytic activity toward GV under solar lightirradiation. Objective: The aim is to prepare calcium bismuthate nanoflakes by the hydrothermal method and research the solar light photocatalytic performance of the calciumbismuthate nanoflakes for GV degradation. Methods: Calcium bismuthate nanoflakes were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal route assisted by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB) based on the reaction of sodium bismuthate and calcium chloride. The calcium bismuthate products were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy and solid UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrum. Results: The calcium bismuthate nanoflakes possess single crystalline mono clinic CaBi2O4 phase. The size of the whole nanoflakes is about 10 μm and thickness of the nanoflakes is about 40 nm. The morphology, size and phase of the products are closely relative to CTAB concentration, reaction temperature and reaction time. The band gap of the calcium bismuthate nanoflakes is 2.21 eV. The photocatalytic activity of the calcium bismuthate nanoflakes is high enough to completely degrade GV under solar light irradiation for 6 h.