Enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance of sulphur doped nano bismuth titanate semiconductor

The enhanced visible light photocatalytic effect of sulphur doped nano bismuth titanate for the removal of malachite green dye in water is reported herein this paper. The photocatalyst was prepared by simple Pechini method and confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectral techniques. A comparative study of both sulphur doping and carbon doping of bismuth titanate showed that sulphur doped bismuth titanate perfomed more efficiently than the carbon doped samples. The couped effect of band gap narrowing from 3.1 eV to 2.37 eV and creation of surface acidic sites in the sulphur doped samples contributed to the enhanced photocatalytic performance unlike in the carbon doped samples. Hence sulphur doped bismuth titanate is a promising visible light photocatalyst for the removal of organic pollutants in water.