Synthesis, characterization and solar photocatalytic performance of In2O3-decorated Bi2O3

In2O3/Bi2O3 composite photocatalysts with different In2O3 content were prepared using a pore impregnation method with Bi2O3 as the substrate. The composite photocatalysts exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to Bi2O3 for the degradation of aqueous methyl orange (MO) solution under solar irradiation. The samples were characterized in terms of BET surface area, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and surface photovoltage (SPV). On the basis of the results, a mechanism is proposed to account for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of these In2O3/Bi2O3 composites. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.