Bi₂O₃@Carbon Nanocomposites for Solar-Driven Photocatalytic Degradation of Chlorophenols

Abstract

Chlorophenols are corrosive and toxic in water environment, which have arisen increasing concerns and urge solar-driven technique with highly efficient photocatalysts for green remediation. Coupling photocatalysis with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect is a practical solution to boosting the utilization of solar light in the infrared region, meanwhile improving the overall performance of the photocatalysts. However, it is still lack of a facile and green strategy to synthesize metallic non-noble bismuth (Bi 0)-based photocatalysts. Herein, we report smart Bi/Bi2O3/C composites with high performance for photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol. Advanced characterizations such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) are applied to analyze the morphology and structure of the prepared materials. The photodegradation rate of the hybrid is significantly enhanced compared with the sole counterparts, which is 1.60-fold of Bi2O3 and 2.47-fold of g-C3N4. The synthesized Bi/C-2 exhibits excellent stability without decline in activity after four cycles. The SPR effect of Bi is identified to account for the strengthen photo-reactivity. Moreover, the relatively high utilization efficiency of solar energy and rapid separating rate of photogenerated electron and hole pairs helped to enhance the photocatalytic performance synergistically.

Recent advances in photocatalytic nitrogen fixation and beyond

“…Besdies, the cycle stability of bismuth-based materials is usually not really good as bismuth is beam sensitive. 26 Please do not adjust margins Please do not adjust margins 19 Copyright 2019, Elsevier.…”

Catalytic reduction of nitrogen to produce ammonia by bismuth-based catalysts: state of the art and future prospects

“…36 For the advances of long Fermi wavelength, high carrier motilities and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect, it has attracted a lot of research interests, especially in the field of photocatalysis and electrocatalysis. [37][38][39][40] Due to the quantum confinement phenomena and low energy overlap of Bi, it can be converted to semiconductor from semimetal when it becomes thin films. 41,42 Very recently, researchers found that metallic Bi can be used in electrocatalytic N 2 reduction.…”

A readily synthesized bismuth oxyiodide/attapulgite for the photodegradation of tetracycline under visible light irradiation

“…29 Obviously, adsorbents can only accumulate rather than wholly eliminate the EC in water. 30,31 Thus, the development of a green synthesis approach for containing both natural adsorbents and photocatalysts is of great significance. 32,33 It has been confirmed that BiOI/ montmorillonite composites can take advantage of the peculiarities of both materials, including low cost, environmental friendliness, as well as green synthesis.…”