Bi12TiO20 synthesized directly from bismuth (III) nitrate pentahydrate and titanium glycolate and its activity

Pure phase of sillenite structure, Bi₁₂TiO₂₀, was directly synthesized using stoichiometric bismuth (III) nitrate pentahydrate and titanium glycolate by co-precipitation. The influence of pH on the structure of Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ was studied in the pH range of 3–10. The sillenite structure was characterized using XRD and FTIR. The photo-degradation reaction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) was used to study photocatalytic activity of Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ as a function of the preparation pH. The rate of decomposition was followed by UV-vis and TOC. The beginning concentration of 4-NP, 44 ppm, decreased to less than 1 ppm within 30 min for all prepared catalysts. It was found that the decomposition rate constant of Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ is six times higher than those of either TiO₂ or Bi₂O₃ under the same conditions.