Controlled synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of BiPO4 nanostructures with different morphologies

The synthesis of bismuth phosphate (BiPO4) nanostructures with various morphologies and phases was explored under ultrasound irradiation and hydrothermal process. Powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) were used to characterize the BiPO4 samples. The effects of ultrasound irradiation and hydrothermal conditions on the phases and morphologies of the BiPO4 samples were studied, and the growth mechanisms of the 1D structure were investigated. The different BiPO4 samples exhibited different optical properties and photocatalytic activities for the degradation of methyl blue (MB) under UV light irradiation. The experimental results suggest that the high photocatalytic activity of the sample prepared under hydrothermal conditions is due to a low electron and hole recombination rate and the high potential of the photogenerated holes in the valence band. The practicality of this BiPO4 photocatalyst was validated for the degradation of MB in environmental and industrial wastewater samples, which demonstrated the advantages of its high photocatalytic activity.