title: Synthesis of BiOClx Br1-x Nanoplate Solid Solutions as a Robust Photocatalyst with Tunable Band Structure.
abstract: The use of bismuth oxyhalides as photocatalysts has received extensive interest because of their high photocatalytic activity and stability. However, available methods for the synthesis of bismuth oxyhalides with tailored morphologies, well-defined facets, and tunable band gaps are still lacking. In this work, two-dimensional BiOClx Br1-x solid solution with exposed {001} facets and tunable band gaps were synthesized by using solvothermal methods. The BiOClx Br1-x solid solution nanoplates crystallized in a homogeneous crystal structure but possessed continuously tuned band gaps from 3.39 to 2.78 eV by decreasing the ratio of Cl/Br. Among the synthesized nanoplates, the BiOCl0.5 Br0.5 sample exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity for degrading Rhodamine B (RhB), a typical organic pollutant, under visible light. The highest photoactivity of the BiOCl0.5 Br0.5 sample was attributed to a synergetic effect of higher surface area, facets exposed, and optimized band structure. The results are of profound significance for the design of novel photocatalyst materials.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 551-63601592.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 551-63601592.
authors.forename: Li-Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 551-63601592.
authors.forename: Chu-Ya
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 551-63601592.
authors.forename: Wei-Kang
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 551-63601592.
authors.forename: Ya-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 551-63601592.
authors.forename: Yu-Xi
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 551-63601592.
authors.forename: Wen-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 451-86287017. yujief@hit.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yu-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 551-63601592. hqyu@ustc.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Han-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Yu
keywords: bismuth; crystal engineering; nanostructures; photophysics; surface analysis