A FACILE METHOD FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF BI2O3 NANOPARTICLES BY OXIDATION OF BISMUTH METAL BY SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE

In this research, Bi2O3 nanoparticles are synthesized by a facile and clean method. To date, in many methods developed for the synthesis of Bi2O3 nanostructures in aqueous phase, it has been usual to use bismuth salts as precursors. Here, Bi2O3 nanoparticles are synthesized by surface oxidation of bismuth metal by sodium hypochlorite. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) is used as stabilizer and the reaction is carried out by applying mild ultrasonic waves. The structure and morphology of the synthesized nanoparticles are investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The XRD and TEM show that Bi2O3 nanoparticles with the mean particle size about 25 nm are synthesized. These synthesized Bi2O3 nanoparticles show good efficiency in photodegradation of the organic dye rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) under visible light irradiation.