Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured powders of Bi2O3, BiOCl and Bi

In the last years, synthesis and characterization of bismuth compounds have received a great attention due to their potential applications. In this work, nanostructured powders of Bi2O3, BiOCl and Bi were prepared by a simple aqueous precipitation method using elemental bismuth as starting material and varying some experimental conditions. The samples obtained were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM); fluorescence, infrared and UV–vis absorption spectroscopies were also used. The obtained powders present a particle size under 100 nm, irregular morphology and agglomeration. A quantum confinement effect can be observed in the optical properties of the samples prepared in this work making them an interesting option for industrial applications.