Visible-Light-Induced Degradation of Methylene Blue by SrBi3VO8 Nanoparticles

Nanosized particles of strontium bismuth vanadate SrBi3VO8 were prepared via the Pechini method on the base of citrate‐complexation route. The samples were characterized using X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectra (EDX), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS), and UV–vis absorption spectrum. This bismuth‐containing vanadate presents an efficient absorption in the UV–visible light wavelength region with a narrow band‐gap energy of 2.36 eV and an indirect allowed electronic transition. It is well‐known that hybridization of the 6s and 6p orbitals of Bi3+ could result in lone electron pair and yield some very interesting properties. The photocatalytic activities of SrBi3VO8 nanoparticles were evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation in air atmosphere. These results indicate that SrBi3VO8 could be a potential photocatalyst driven by visible light. To understand the charge generation and separation process, the luminescence as well as the decay lifetimes was investigated in the same samples for photocatalysis.