BiIO_4 Nanoflakes for the Degradation of Phenol under Simulated Solar Light Irradiation

BiIO_4 nanoflakes were successfully prepared through a facile hydrothermal method. The as-prepared BiIO_4 was characterized by scanning electron microscope(SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), energy-dispersive spectroscopy(EDS) and ultraviolet visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. BiIO_4 nanoflakes showed excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of phenol solution under simulated solar irradiation. The influence of synthesis temperature on the morphology, size and photocatalytic performance of BiIO_4 was investigated. BiIO_4 prepared under 140 ℃ exhibited the highest removal rate of phenol under simulated solar light irradiation. In addition, the parametric studies such as the effect of catalyst loading and phenol solution pH were carried out to optimize the reaction conditions. The active species trapping experiment demonstrated that h~+ and ·OH are the major active species during the photocatalytic process.