CuI as Hole-Transport Channel for Enhancing Photoelectrocatalytic Activity by Constructing CuI/BiOI Heterojunction

Abstract

In this paper, CuI, as a typical hole-transport channel, was used to construct a high-performance visible-light-driven CuI/BiOI heterostructure for photoelectrocatalytic applications. The heterostructure combines the broad visible absorption of BiOI and high hole mobility of CuI. Compared to pure BiOI, the CuI/BiOI heterostructure exhibited distinctly enhanced photoelectrocatalytic performance for the oxidation of methanol and organic pollutants under visible-light irradiation. The photogenerated electron-hole pairs of the excited BiOI can be separated efficiently through CuI, in which the CuI acts as a superior hole-transport channel to improve photoelectrocatalytic oxidization of methanol and organic pollutants. The outstanding photoelectrocatalytic activity shows that the p-type CuI works as a promising hole-transport channel to improve the photocatalytic performance of traditional semiconductors.

The Bi/Bi2WO6 heterojunction with stable interface contact and enhanced visible‐light photocatalytic activity for phenol and Cr(VI) removal

“…In order to fully understand the origin of the enhanced photocatalytic performance and explore the difference of the intrinsic electronic and interfacial charge transfer properties, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was performed for the as‐obtained photocatalysts under visible‐light irradiation . As displayed in Fig.…”

Regulate the coupling reaction of 4‐nitrothiophenol to 4,4′‐dimercaptoazobenzene by organic alkali

“…Holes were used to oxidize OH − and produced OH radicals . It is well known that OH radicals cannot exist stably and be quenched by ethanol in the system . The alkalis used in the experiments were methylamine, dimethylamine, and trimethylamine, respectively, because they changed the compatibility with the SERS substrate.…”

LaCoO3 acts as a high‐efficiency co‐catalyst for enhancing visible‐light‐driven tetracycline degradation of BiOI

“…In spite of the above outstanding advantages, the photocatalytic activity of individual BiOI is still not satisfactory owing to several bottlenecks, including its poor conductivity and the fast recombination rate of photo‐excited electron‐hole pairs, which is impossible to satisfy the requirements of practical applications. As a matter of fact, a majority of photoexcited electrons in the migration process are directly and rapidly recombined with photoexcited holes in single BiOI, and only few of them are able to move to the photocatalyst surface and participate in the succedent redox reaction . Undoubtedly, compared to the single‐component BiOI, the construction of a bi‐ or multi‐component composite photocatalyst by interfacing BiOI with a second suitable semiconductor, photosensitizer or co‐catalyst has been identified as a reliable and promising method for achieving higher carrier mobility and accelerating the separation efficiency of photoexcited charge carriers …”

“…As a matter of fact, a majority of photoexcited electrons in the migration process are directly and rapidly recombined with photoexcited holes in single BiOI, and only few of them are able to move to the photocatalyst surface and participate in the succedent redox reaction. 23,24 Undoubtedly, compared to the single-component BiOI, the construction of a bi-or multicomponent composite photocatalyst by interfacing BiOI with a second suitable semiconductor, photosensitizer or co-catalyst has been identified as a reliable and promising method for achieving higher carrier mobility and accelerating the separation efficiency of photoexcited charge carriers. 25,26 As a p-type semiconductor and an important member of perovskite-type cobalt oxides, lanthanum cobaltite (LaCoO 3 ) has recently received considerable attention for the photocatalytic CO 2 reduction and contaminants degradation owing to its particular features such as unique crystal structure, attractive photoelectrical property, nontoxicity, and low cost.…”