Structural, photophysical and photocatalytic properties of new Bi2SbVO7 under visible light irradiation

Bi(2)SbVO(7) was prepared by solid-state reaction technique for the first time and the structural and photocatalytic properties of Bi(2)SbVO(7) and Bi(2)GaTaO(7) were investigated. The results showed that Bi(2)SbVO(7) crystallized with the tetragonal crystal system by space group I4/mmm. In addition, the band gaps of Bi(2)SbVO(7) and Bi(2)GaTaO(7) were estimated to be 2.33 and 2.52 eV. The photocatalytic degradation of aqueous methylene blue (MB) dye over Bi(2)SbVO(7) and Bi(2)GaTaO(7) was investigated under visible light irradiation. Bi(2)SbVO(7) showed higher catalytic activity compared with Bi(2)GaTaO(7) for MB photocatalytic degradation under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic MB degradation followed first-order reaction kinetics, the apparent first-order rate constant k being 0.0262 and 0.0060 min(-1) with Bi(2)SbVO(7) and Bi(2)GaTaO(7), respectively. Complete removal of aqueous MB was realized after visible light irradiation for 210 min with Bi(2)SbVO(7) as a catalyst. The reduction of the total organic carbon (TOC), the formation of inorganic products (SO(4)(2-) and NO(3)(-)) and the evolution of CO(2) revealed complete removal of aqueous MB during the photocatalytic process by this novel photocatalyst.