LAUSR

The La3+ doped Bi2WO6 were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process. Various characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–Vis DRS), FT-IR, photoluminescence (PL) spectra and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm analysis, were employed to investigate the as-prepared products. The results indicate that La3+ replacing Bi3+ enters into the Bi2WO6 lattice, producing a degree of Bi2WO6 lattice distortion. It also has an impact on the crystallinity of Bi2WO6 and the band gap was from 2.64 to 2.79 eV. The photocatalytic results show that when the content of La3+ doping becomes 5%, the degradation rate of Rhodamine B (RhB) was above 98% after 25 min irradiation, This enhancement should be ascribed to the slightly increased band gap and the generated defects by La3+ doping, thus resulting in a much lower recombination rate of the photo-induced electrons and holes.