Nanacrystalline ZnSb2O6: a New Photocatalyst Synthesized by a Simple Hydrothermal Route

Wide band gap p-block metal semiconductors have been previously reported as photocatalysts materials for water splitting and degradations of organic pollutants. ZnSb2O6 is another wide band gap p-block semiconductor, however its applications in the photocatalysis have never been reported so far. ZnSb2O6 have been prepared via solid state reaction and sol-gel method. Herein we reported the preparation of nanocrystalline ZnSb2O6 via a simple hydrothermal method from Sb2O5 and its application for photocatalytic environmental remediation for the first time. The sample was characterized by XRD, N2-sorption BET surface area, UV-vis DRS, SEM, TEM, HRTEM and EDS. The as-prepared ZnSb2O6 with small particles (ca. 10 nm) and large BET specific surface area (ca. 130 m 2 /g) showed high photocatalytic activity in the decomposition of gaseous acetone under UV irradiations.