Photocatalytic properties of hierarchical BiOXs obtained via an ethanol-assisted solvothermal process.
In this study, bismuth oxyhalide (BiOXs (XCl, Br, I)) semiconductors were prepared by a simple solvothermal method, with ethanol serving as solvent and a series of tetrabutylammonium halide surfactants as halogen sources. Under identical synthetic conditions, BiOBr was more readily constructed into regular flower-like hierarchical architectures. The photocatalytic properties of the materials were studied by monitoring the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB), with visible light absorption, and colorless salicylic acid (SA). It was found that both RhB and SA were rapidly degraded on the surface of BiOBr. BiOCl was rather active for the degradation of RhB, but ineffective toward the degradation of SA. However, neither RhB nor SA could be degraded effectively in the case of BiOI. Further experiments such as UV-visible spectroscopy and detection of OH and O2(-) radicals suggest that the electronic structure of the BiOX photocatalysts is responsible for the difference in their activities.
Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Geo-Hazards and Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Area, Yichang 443002, China. Electronic address: jiamanke@yeah.net.
Manke
M
Jia
Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Geo-Hazards and Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Area, Yichang 443002, China.
Xiaolong
X
Hu
Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Geo-Hazards and Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Area, Yichang 443002, China.
Shulian
S
Wang
Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China. Electronic address: chem_ctgu@126.com.
Yingping
Y
Huang
Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China. Electronic address: lrsong@ihb.ac.cn.
Lirong
L
Song
D001729:Bismuth / Q000737:chemistry*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D010782:Photolysis; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000528:radiation effects*; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012666:Semiconductors
D012235:Rhodamines; D000431:Ethanol; C044685:bismuth oxychloride; C029773:rhodamine B; C542279:bismuth oxybromide; D020156:Salicylic Acid; D001729:Bismuth
BiOXs (XCl, Br, I); Ethanol-assisted solvothermal process; Photocatalytic properties