The present work deals with the synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic studies of layered perovskites belonging to Aurivillius family. Layered perovskites of various chemical compositions, BiREWO 6 (RE ¼ La, Pr, Gd, and Dy), were synthesized by an ethylene glycol eassisted solegel method. These materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopyeenergy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared, Raman, and ultravioletevisible diffuse reflectance techniques. The composition of all these materials was obtained from EDS. The unit cell lattice parameters were attained from Rietveld refinement program, Fullprof.2k, by refining the d-lines of BiREWO 6 . The band gap energy of these samples was obtained from the KubelkaeMunk plot. The photocatalytic activity of all the samples was evaluated by photodegradation of methylene blue. The mechanistic degradation pathway of methylene blue was studied using radical quenchers.
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