A new bismuth potassium nitrate oxide, Bi 1.7K 0.9O 2(NO 3) 2: Synthesis, structure, thermal behavior, and photocatalytic properties

S. Shenawi-Khalil, V. Uvarov, D. O. Charkin*, A. Goaz, I. Popov, V. A. Dolgikh, Y. Sasson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report here the first observation of a bismuth potassium nitrate Bi 1.7K 0.9O 2(NO 3) 2, obtained via thermal decomposition of bismuth and potassium nitrate mixtures. The new compound is orthorhombic, space group Immm (71), Z = 2, with a = 3.8698(7) Å, b = 3.8703(7) , and c = 24.1271(4) . Its crystal structure was refined from powder X-ray diffraction data by analogy with the mineral beyerite, Bi 2O 2Ca(CO 3) 2. The morphology and elemental composition of Bi 1.7K 0.9O 2(NO 3) 2 were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS). Its phase transformations upon heating and products of its thermal decomposition were studied using XRD, TGA and FTIR. At 440 °C, Bi 1.7K 0.9O 2(NO 3) 2 transforms to another basic bismuth potassium nitrate with demonstrates a very similar XRD pattern but slightly larger cell parameters. At 520 °C, the intermediate oxide nitrate decomposes into a mixture of crystalline α-Bi 2O 3 and KNO 3. The as prepared Bi 1.7K 0.9O 2(NO 3) 2 showed lower than TiO 2 (Degussa P25) photocatalytic activity upon decomposition of a widely used model pollutant, Rhodamine B (RhB) and photooxidation of potassium iodide under UV-vis light irradiation. Interaction with potassium iodide in alkaline media resulted in formation of Bi 5O 7I.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)159-165
Number of pages7
JournalSolid State Sciences
Volume14
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2012

Keywords

  • Bismuth potassium oxide nitrate
  • Crystal structure
  • Photocatalysis
  • Rietveld refinement
  • Sillén phases
  • Thermal decomposition

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