Hydrothermal synthesis of Bi₂WO₆ for photocatalytic tetracycline degradation: optimization, mechanism, and performance evaluation
摘要
Bi2WO6 has been extensively utilized in water treatment; however, the photocatalytic efficiency of Bi2WO6 has been found to vary significantly depending on the synthesis method employed. In this study, Bi2WO6 photocatalysts were synthesized using two distinct methods: hydrothermal synthesis and dilute nitric acid synthesis. The synthesized Bi2WO6 samples were subjected to comprehensive characterization, and their photocatalytic performances were evaluated through the degradation of tetracycline as a model reaction. The experimental results demonstrated that the Bi2WO6 prepared via the hydrothermal method exhibited a more complete crystalline structure and a more regular morphology, which contributed to its superior photocatalytic activity. Further optimization revealed that the ideal conditions for the hydrothermal synthesis were a reaction time of 12 h at a temperature of 180 ℃. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of the hydrothermally synthesized Bi2WO6, compared to that prepared by the dilute nitric acid method, was attributed to its more optimized pore structure, narrower band gap, and increased mobility of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. This research provides valuable insights for the effective design and construction of high-performance Bi-based photocatalytic materials.