New Bi₂WO₆ Nanocages with High Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Activities Prepared in Refluxing EG

New Bi 2 WO 6 nanocages were successfully synthesized with colloidal carbon as the template via a facile refluxing process in ethylene glycol (EG). The as-prepared nanocages consisted of small nanoparticles with a size of ca . 50−80 nm. By adjusting the concentration of the precursor, Bi 2 WO 6 with different morphologies and microstructures could be obtained. The growth mechanism of such special nanocages was investigated, and EG played a key role in the formation of Bi 2 WO 6 nanocages. The Bi 2 WO 6 nanocages exhibited excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic efficiency, which was increased to nearly 10 times that of products prepared by traditional solid-state reactions and commercially available TiO 2 . Close investigation revealed that the surface area and the porous hollow structure of the as-prepared Bi 2 WO 6 nanocages could improve the photocatalytic activities. Moreover, the nanocages could settle naturally in 15 min, which is beneficial for separation and recycling, considering their future applications in wastewater treatment.