One-step preparation of bismuth tungstate nanodisks with visible-light photocatalytic activity

Abstract Bismuth Tungstate (Bi 2 WO 6 ) nanodisks were synthesized using Bi (NO 3 ) 3 ·5H 2 O and Na 2 WO 4 ·2H 2 O as starting materials by a one-step hydrothermal process in the presence of ethylene glycol. The prepared sample was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) measurement, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectrum (DRS). The prepared Bi 2 WO 6 nanodisks consist of fine particles and possess an optical band gap of 2.76 eV. The photocatalytic experiment demonstrates that the prepared Bi 2 WO 6 nanodisks exhibit high photocatalytic activity for decomposition of Rhodamine B under visible-light, which is ascribed to the unique shaped structures as well as narrow optical band gap.