Novel CaBi6O10 photocatalyst for methylene blue degradation under visible light irradiation

Abstract A novel photocatalyst CaBi 6 O 10 with flower-like morphology was prepared by a simple impregnation–calcination method and investigated by techniques such as XRD, Raman, SEM, BET, DRS, and density function theory (DFT). Results reveal that CaBi 6 O 10 is responsive to visible light below 537 nm (E g  = 2.31 eV). In addition, CaBi 6 O 10 presents broader conduction band than Bi 2 O 3 , which favors the mobility of photo-generated electrons in CaBi 6 O 10 and contributes positively to the photocatalytic reaction. The good photoabsorption and the special electron structure were considered as the origin of the high activity of CaBi 6 O 10 in methylene blue photodegradation.