Electrochemical formation of bismuth phosphate nanorods by anodization of bismuth

We report on hexagonal-phase bismuth phosphate nanorods that can be formed on bismuth substrates by anodization in fluoride-containing concentrated phosphoric acid electrolyte. Under optimized conditions, BiPO₄ layers can be formed that consist of rods with a diameter of 50-70 nm and a length of 250 nm. These nanorods are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and photoluminescence measurements. The results confirm the presence of BiPO₄ nanorods that show a high photoluminescence in the visible range of the spectrum, peaking at a wavelength of 440 nm.