PHOTOCATALYTIC REACTION OF HETEROSTRUCTURE Ag0.9Pd0.1/Bi2WO6 NANOCOMPOSITES TO RHODAMINE B UNDER VISIBLE LIGHT IRRADATION

Bi2WO6 thin nanoplates were modified by 5% by weight of bimetallic Ag0.9Pd0.1 nanoparticles to form Schottky barrier by photoreduction method. The as-synthesized heterostructure 5% Ag0.9Pd0.1/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. XRD pattern of heterostructure 5% Ag0.9Pd0.1/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites showed only orthorhombic Bi2WO6 structure due to the low loading content and small particle size of bimetallic AgPd nanoparticles. TEM image of heterostructure 5% Ag0.9Pd0.1/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites shows a number of sphere-like bimetallic AgPd nanoparticles embedded on top of Bi2WO6 thin nanoplates. The photocatalytic activities of pure Bi2WO6 sample and heterostructure 5% Ag0.9Pd0.1/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites were studied through the photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. The heterostructure 5% Ag0.9Pd0.1/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites show photodegradation of RhB under visible light irradiation higher than pure Bi2WO6 nanoplates. The enhanced photocatalytic properties of the heterostructure 5% Ag0.9Pd0.1/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites are attributed to the efficient separation of photoinduced carriers at the interface of bimetallic Ag0.9Pd0.1 nanoparticles and Bi2WO6 nanoplates. A possible photocatalytic mechanism is also proposed according the experimental results.