Comparative study on photocatalytic performances of crystalline α- and β-Bi2O3 nanoparticles under visible light

• Polymorph Bi2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized by two facile methods.
• The investigations analyses indicated that α- and β-Bi2O3 phases of were formed.
• The photocatalytic performances were evaluated for methylene blue photodegradation.
• The β-Bi2O3 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than that of α-Bi2O3.
• The photodegradation rate of β-Bi2O3 was 5.7 times greater than α-Bi2O3.

α- and β-Bi2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized in the presence of either urea or polyethylene glycol. The XRD, TEM, and Raman analysis indicated that α-(monoclinic) Bi2O3 nanoparticles were obtained using either sol–gel or hydrothermal method in the presence of urea; however β-(tetragonal) phase of Bi2O3 was formed using hydrothermal method in the presence of polyethylene glycol. The β-Bi2O3 nanoparticles exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than α-Bi2O3. MB was completely photodegraded after 6 h of visible light illumination using β-Bi2O3 photocatalyst whereas only 30% was photodegraded using α-Bi2O3. The photodegradation rate of β-Bi2O3 was 5.7 times greater than that α-Bi2O3 nanoparticles.

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