Hydrothermal synthesis of bamboo-shaped nanosheet KNb3O8 with enhanced photocatalytic activity

A new type of bamboo-shaped KNb3O8 nanosheet was synthesized by using a two-step hydrothermal method. In addition, the photocatalytic degradation performances of the bamboo-shaped KNb3O8 nanosheet and a rod-like KNb3O8 prepared by using molted salt method were also investigated and compared in terms of degradation of Rhodamine B, and the results indicated that the bamboo-shaped KNb3O8 nanosheet had higher photocatalytic activity. Importantly, the crystal structure and morphology diagram of KNb3O8 nanosheet and their photocatalytic degradation performances as well as a possible mechanism for the photocatalytic degradation are shown below.