Synthesis and characterization of novel CaFe2O4/Bi2O3 composite photocatalysts

Novel CaFe2O4/Bi2O3 composite photocatalysts were prepared via a facile grinding and calcination method and characterized by XRD, TEM, UV-vis and PL analysis, respectively. The photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated through photodegradation of malachite green (MG) under visible light. The as-prepared CaFe2O4/Bi2O3 composites showed higher photodegradation activity than that of pure Bi2O3 or CaFe2O4 sample. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be due to improvement of the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, which was beneficial for efficient charge carrier transport. The photocatalytic mechanism of the CaFe2O4/Bi2O3 composite was also proposed.