Effect of Ag Doping on the Photocatalytic Performance of Bismuth Ferrite-based Compounds

doi:10.6023/A24120364

Abstract

Bismuth ferrite-based compounds, such as BiFeO₃ and Bi₂Fe₄O₉, have attracted significant attention as photocatalytic materials due to their favorable structural properties and stability. In this study, Ag-doped BiFeO₃ and Bi₂Fe₄O₉ powders were synthesized using the sol-gel method, and their photocatalytic properties were evaluated through the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under ultraviolet (UV) light. The results showed that Ag doping notably enhanced the photocatalytic properties of Bi₂Fe₄O₉. Specifically, 3 mol% Ag-doped Bi₂Fe₄O₉ exhibited an impressive RhB degradation rate of 96%, indicating its high efficiency for photocatalytic applications. In contrast, Ag doping in BiFeO₃ led to the formation of mixed phases, including Bi₂Fe₄O₉ and Bi₂₅FeO₄₀, and resulted in only a modest improvement in photocatalytic performance, with a RhB degradation rate of 50%. These findings highlight the superior photocatalytic activity of Bi₂Fe₄O₉ compared to BiFeO₃, emphasizing the importance of material composition and doping concentration in optimizing photocatalytic efficiency. Moreover, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy was used to investigate the electronic properties of the materials. The analysis revealed that Bi₂Fe₄O₉ exhibits a dual-bandgap feature with values of 1.28 eV and 1.36 eV, which enhances the material's ability to absorb visible light and improves its photocatalytic performance under ambient light conditions. To explore the mechanisms behind these improvements, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted. The results indicate that the Ag 4d orbitals introduce defect energy levels near the valence band maximum of Bi₂Fe₄O₉, effectively narrowing the bandgap. This facilitates more efficient charge separation, which is crucial for enhancing photocatalytic properties. Fluorescence spectroscopy further confirmed that Ag doping effectively inhibits the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, further boosting the photocatalytic efficiency of Bi₂Fe₄O₉. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of Ag-doped bismuth ferrite-based compounds for advanced photocatalysis, and pave the way for the development of efficient photocatalysts for environmental and energy-related applications, such as water purification and solar energy conversion.

Key words: Bismuth ferrite, photocatalysis, doping, first-principles, defect energy levels

Cite this article

Guowei Hu, Xiaohuan Wang, Zhipeng Yuan, Yaer Xinba, Hexige Wuliji. Effect of Ag Doping on the Photocatalytic Performance of Bismuth Ferrite-based Compounds[J]. Acta Chimica Sinica, 2025, 83(3): 229-236.

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Fig. & Tab. 7

Figure 1. (a) Bandgap energies of different photocatalysts; (b) Schematic illustration of the photocatalytic mechanism of Ag-doped Bi2Fe4O9 photocatalyst (D represents defect levels)

Figure 2. (a) XRD patterns of Bi1-xAgxFeO3 (x=0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15) samples sintered at 650 ℃; (b) Enlarged XRD patterns in the 2θ range of 31.6°~32.6°; (c) XRD patterns of BiFeO3 and Bi0.99Ag0.01FeO3 under repeated experiments; (d) Degradation efficiency of RhB by Bi1-xAgxFeO3 photocatalysts

Figure 3. (a) XRD patterns of Bi2Fe4O9 samples sintered at different temperatures; (b) DSC-TG curve and (c, d) SEM images of Bi2Fe4O9 samples at 750 ℃

Figure 4. (a) XRD patterns of Bi2-xAgxFe4O9 (x=0.00, 0.02, 0.06, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30) samples; (b) Enlarged XRD patterns in the range of 2θ=27.8°~28.8°; (c) SEM image of Bi1.98Ag0.02Fe4O9 sample; (d) SEM image of Bi1.94Ag0.06Fe4O9 sample

Figure 5. (a) Photocatalytic degradation rate of Rhodamine B by Bi2-xAgxFe4O9 photocatalysts; (b) Comparison of degradation rates of RhB by various reported photocatalysts after 90 min of illumination from different light sources (pink represents this work)

Figure 6. (a, b) UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra and corresponding (αhν)1/2-hν plots for Bi2Fe4O9 and Ag-doped samples; (c, d) Schematic diagrams of electronic band structures; (e, f) Projected density of states (PDOS) plots

Figure 7. PL spectra of BiFeO3, Bi2Fe4O9 and Bi1.94Ag0.06Fe4O9

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