Hydrothermal synthesis of Ca₃Bi₈O₁₅ rods and their visible light photocatalytic properties

Graphical abstract: The novel Ca₃Bi₈O₁₅ rods can utilize the sunlight efficiently with the small band-gap. Using methyl orange (MO) as a model organic pollutant, the photocatalysts exhibited good photocatalytic activity, with the photodegradation conversion ratio of MO being up to 90% after 2 h of visible light (420 nm < λ < 800 nm) irradiation. - Highlights: • Ca₃Bi₈O₁₅ rods were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. • They can utilize the sunlight efficiently with the small band-gap. • They showed good photocatalytic activities in the degradation of MO, RhB and 4-CP. • The conversion ratio of MO was up to 90% after 2 h of visible light irradiation. - Abstract: High efficient visible light Ca₃Bi₈O₁₅ photocatalysts were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Characterized by X-ray diffractometer, transmission electron microscopy, and the UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, the results showed that the novel Ca₃Bi₈O₁₅ rods can utilize the sunlight efficiently with the small band-gap. Using methyl orange (MO) as a model organic pollutant, the photocatalysts exhibited good photocatalytic activity, with the photodegradation conversion ratio of MO being up to 90% after 2 h of visible light (420 nm < λ < 800 nm) irradiation. Furthermore, they also showed good photocatalytic activities in the degradation of rhodamine B and p-chlorophenol. Through the investigation of the degraded mechanism, the main active species played important roles in the degradation process were holes, O₂·⁻ and ·OH