Photocatalytic Degradation of Phenol over Highly Visible-Light Active BiOI/TiO2 Nanocomposite Photocatalyst

Abstract

Abstract. BiOI/TiO2 nanocomposites were successfully prepared by the two-step method, co-precipitation/solvothermal method. The amount of BiOI in the composites were varied as 0, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 mol%. XRD results exhibited sharp and narrow diffraction peaks of both BiOI and TiO2 in all composite samples. Morphologies of as-prepared samples consisted of spherical shapes of TiO2 and nanosheets of BiOI. Diffuse Reflectance UV-visible (DR-UV-vis) spectra of composites drastically shifted into the visible range and the reduced band gap energies were observed. The composites obviously showed an enhanced phenol degradation of ca. 6 times higher than that of pure BiOI, pure TiO2 and Degussa P25. The maximum photocatalytic activity of ca. 68% was found for 10.0 mol% BiOI/TiO2 nanocomposite because of its increased visible light harvesting ability and its efficient electron-hole separation efficiency as observed from DR-UV-vis and photoluminescence spectra results.

Visible-Light-Active BiOI/TiO2 Heterojunction Photocatalysts for Remediation of Crude Oil-Contaminated Water

“…This result agrees with others reported in literature. 18,34,62 STEM was used to further investigate the microstructure of the 4 × BiOI/TiO 2 heterojunction. Figure 7C,D gives highangle annular dark-field (HAADF) images and elemental mapping, which revealed the formation of BiOI/TiO 2 with good contact between the titania particle and BiOI nanoplates.…”

“…In this study, a BiOI/TiO 2 heterojunction photocatalyst with different-level deposition of bismuth oxyiodide was prepared via the sequential ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method on doctor-bladed TiO 2 mesoporous layers coated on FTO substrates. The photodegradation activity of BiOI/TiO 2 has been widely explored especially for dyes ,− ,− and once for 4-chlorophenol degradation under visible light. The use of dyes as model compounds for photocatalytic degradation has been considered not ideal due to their visible-light-absorbing nature, which can photosensitize semiconductors and as such may not substantiate the intrinsic photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst.…”

Bismuth-Based Nanoparticles as Photocatalytic Materials

“…The V 2 O 5 /BiVO 4 /TiO 2 was identified to be the best catalyst for the decomposition of toluene due to enhanced charge carriers separation across the multiple interfaces of the ternary nanojunctions [73]. Similarly, toluene removal from air through photocatalysis using BiOI/TiO 2 , pure TiO 2 and Degussa P25 was carried out by Boonprakob et al [74]. They observed that the highest toluene photodecomposition activity (ca.…”

Dependence of Catalyst Surface in Photocatalytic Degradation of Phenyl Urea Herbicides

“…Heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation is a technique capable of removal of toxic contaminants in water [7,8]. The process relies on oxidation of the pollutant, which is adsorbed on surface of the photocatalyst, by highly active hydroxyl radicals (OH).…”