Microwave-assisted synthesis of oxygen vacancy associated Bi-TiO₂ nanocomposite for degradation of rhodamine B under visible light irradiation

Generally, a Bi-doped TiO2 nanocomposite was synthesized by a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method to introduce Bi4Ti3O12 and an oxygen vacancy onto the pristine TiO2. The optimized composite 6Bi-TiO2 exhibits a good photocatalytic ability for degradation of rhodamine B (RhB), and the calculated reaction rate constant is about 13.7 times higher than that of pristine TiO2. After 60 minutes of light irradiation, the 6Bi-TiO2 sample achieved a degradation rate of 95% and that of the pristine TiO2 was 21%. Furthermore, the catalyst retains a good photocatalytic ability after recycling five times. The enhanced photocatalytic ability can be credited to the improved charge separation efficiency, caused by the altered band structure after the anchoring of Bi4Ti3O12, and the oxygen vacancy also plays a crucial role in the degradation process. This study offers insights into the application of a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method in the effective synthesis of Bi(4)Ti(3)O1(2) on TiO2 by a Bi-doping strategy.