Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of sunlight-responsive BiOBr–CoWO4 heterostructured nanocomposites

Efficient sunlight-responsive BiOBr–CoWO₄ heterostructured nanocomposite photocatalysts were prepared via a chemical precipitation route at 100°C in 4 hours. The prepared BiOBr–CoWO₄ heterostructures were characterized for phase identification, chemical composition, surface morphology, optical properties and surface area using various techniques. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the BiOBr–CoWO₄ nanocomposite was composed of diffraction peaks equivalent to both the tetragonal phase of BiOBr and the monoclinic phase of CoWO₄ nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectral study of the BiOBr–CoWO₄ nanocomposite revealed orbitals of both BiOBr and CoWO₄ compounds. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed that spherical particles of CoWO₄ (20–25 nm) were dispersed on the surface of BiOBr. UV–visible–near-infrared spectral study of the BiOBr–CoWO₄ nanocomposite showed good visible-light absorption. Among the manufactured materials, BiOBr–CoWO₄-2 nanocomposite showed better charge carrier separation efficiency, as demonstrated by photoluminescence and time-resolved fluorescence. To study the practical utility of the prepared materials, their photocatalytic capability was examined for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) aqueous solution under sunlight irradiation. The photodegradation results showed that BiOBr–CoWO₄-2 nanocomposite degraded 98.69% RhB solution and the degradation constant was 0.067 min⁻¹, which was 5.6 and 22.5 times larger than that of pure BiOBr and CoWO₄ nanoparticles, respectively, after 60 minutes of sunlight irradiation. The superior photoactivity was facilitated by electron–hole pair separation and transfer driven by the heterostructure interface between BiOBr particles and CoWO₄ nanoparticles. The removal of RhB was initiated by photogenerated h⁺, O₂^{• −} and ^•OH reactive species based on the scavenger effect.     

Recent advances in BiOBr-based photocatalysts for environmental remediation

The efficient utilization of solar energy through photocatalysis is ideal for solving environmental issues and the development sustainable future. BiOBr-based semiconductors possess unique narrowed bandgaps and layered structures, thereby widely studied as photocatalysts for environmental remediation. However, a little has been focused on the comprehensive reviewing of BiOBr despite its extensive and promising applications. In this review, the state-of-the-art developments of BiOBr-based photocatalysts for environmental remediation are summarized. Particular focus is paid to the synthetic strategies for the control of the resulting morphologies, as well as efficient modification strategies for improving the photocatalytic activities. These include boosting the bulk phase by charge separation, enhancing the spatial charge separation, and engineering the surface states. The environmental uses of BiOBr-based photocatalysts are also reviewed in terms of purification of pollutants and CO₂ reduction. Finally, future challenges and opportunities of BiOBr-based materials in photocatalysis are discussed. Overall, this review provides a good basis for future exploration of high-efficiency solar-driven photocatalysts for environmental sustainability.     

多孔柿饼状BiOBr光催化剂的简易溶剂热法合成（英文）

以硝酸铋和十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)为Bi和Br源,采用聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP)辅助溶剂热法首次成功制备了多孔纳米片聚结的柿饼状溴氧化铋(BiOBr)。通过多种分析技术对分级微米结构BiOBr材料的物化性质进行了表征,并对其在可见光照射下降解亚甲基蓝(MB)的光催化活性进行了评价。结果表明,溶剂热时间和PVP的加入量对产物的颗粒形貌和结晶度有显著影响。当加入0.7 g PVP时,120℃溶剂热处理12 h,可得到多孔纳米片聚结的柿饼状BiOBr样品。多孔柿饼状BiOBr样品的比表面积为4 m2·g^-1,带隙能为2.64 eV,在可见光区具有较强的光吸收性能,具有良好的可见光驱动降解MB的光催化活性和稳定性。我们推断,多孔纳米片聚结的柿饼状BiOBr样品具有优良的可见光催化性能,这与该样品的较高比表面积、多孔结构、低带隙能以及独特的颗粒形貌有关。     

Ru掺杂BiOBr空心微球的原位合成及其光催化CO_2还原和有机污染物降解性能研究

采用水热法原位合成了Ru掺杂BiOBr空心微球(Ru/BiOBr)复合光催化剂,并对其进行了XRD、 SEM、 TEM、 EDS、 DRS、 EIS等表征.结果表明,所合成的BiOBr材料是由许多小厚度的交错纳米片自组装而成的,同时Ru纳米颗粒成功负载到BiOBr表面,该复合材料对还原CO_2和降解有机模拟污染物(罗丹明B, RhB)具有良好的光催化性能.当Ru的掺杂量为0.4%时复合材料的光催化活性最佳, 4 h后甲醇产量可达1103μmol/g_(cat),并且60 min内对RhB的降解率达到98%.除此之外,还讨论了复合材料的光催化机理和稳定性.     

Selective hydrothermal synthesis of BiOBr microflowers and Bi2O3 shuttles with concave surfaces

Through controlling the amount of NaOH added, BiOBr and Bi₂O₃ with different shapes were hydrothermally synthesized in the reaction system of Bi(NO₃)₃-hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)-NaOH. As 8 mmol of NaOH was added, BiOBr microflowers constructed of nanoflakes were synthesized. The thickness of these single-crystal nanoflakes was about 20 nm. In the similar condition, when the amount of NaOH added was 28 mmol, Bi₂O₃ shuttles with concave surfaces were obtained. The length of these shuttles was 100 μm and the diameter at the middle of these shuttles was 50 μm. The photocatalytic activity of as-prepared BiOBr microflowers was evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible-light irradiation (λ>420 nm), which was up to 96% within 90 min.     

鳞状BiOBr/Bi2WO6的合成及其吸附性能

采用一步水热法成功制备鳞状形貌的BiOBr/Bi₂WO₆复合物,通过X射线衍射（XRD）仪、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、N2吸附/解吸附比表面测定仪（BET）、傅里叶变换红外（FT-IR）光谱等对复合物进行了表征。对比Bi₂WO₆与BiOBr的SEM照片,结合KBr的浓度实验,提出了BiOBr/Bi₂WO₆的鳞状形貌的形成机理。选取有机染料为吸附质,BiOBr/Bi₂WO₆为吸附剂进行了复合物吸附性能测试。结果表明,BiOBr/Bi₂WO₆对阳离子染料表现出优越的吸附性能,10 min对次甲基蓝（MB）的吸附率高达99%,优于常规的活性炭吸附剂。此外,BiOBr/Bi₂WO₆对有机染料的吸附行为符合准二级反应速率方程和Freundlich等温吸附模型。     

Construction of Recycling Photocatalytic Gels for the Disinfection of Pathogens and Degradation of Organic Pollutants

Bismuth oxybromide (BiOBr) nanosheets are exciting photocatalysts for microbial disinfection and organic dye degradation. However, it remains a great challenge to easily recycle these nanomaterials and improve their photocatalytic ability. Herein, we constructed a novel photocatalytic BiOBr@PAG gel containing BiOBr nanosheets and polyacrylamide gel (PAG), based on peroxydisulfate-induced polymerization reaction. The photocatalytic gel had equally distribution of BiOBr nanosheets on the surface, and could be easily recycled from water. More strikingly, the gel could also rapidly kill all tested pathogenic bacteria (i. e., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus) under irradiation. Its disinfection activity is attributed to remarkable intracellular ROS production and oxidative cell damage. Furthermore, the gel had higher photocatalytic activity than BiOBr nanosheets alone during degradation of organic dyes. This study developed a novel strategy for preparation of easy-recycling and high-efficiency photocatalytic systems for practical application in environmental treatment and medicinal disinfection.     

原位构筑溴氧化铋/聚吡咯复合材料用于光催化降解阴离子染料

采用光化学反应法在稀酸条件下制备出薄片状溴氧化铋（BiOBr）,将其分散于含有过硫酸铵和十六烷基三甲基溴化铵的水溶液中,通过吡咯的一步聚合反应原位制备出聚吡咯（PPy）修饰的BiOBr复合材料（BiOBr/PPy）。通过扫描电子显微镜、透射电子显微镜、X射线衍射、拉曼光谱、X射线光电子能谱、紫外可见光谱及荧光光谱等综合表征技术对样品的晶体结构、形貌特征和光电特性等进行测试。结果显示,PPy成功修饰到BiOBr薄片上,BiOBr与PPy接触紧密且相互作用强。与纯BiOBr相比,BiOBr/PPy复合材料具有更强的可见光吸收效率和增强的光催化降解甲基橙（MO）染料活性。通过优化PPy和BiOBr的组合比例,当BiOBr质量分数约为7%时,BiOBr/PPy-2在50 min内对MO （30 mg·L^-1）的降解率为87.3%;另外,循环光催化活性虽有降低但仍高于纯BiOBr和纯PPy （10.4%）。这表明BiOBr与PPy之间较强的相互作用和良好的界面结合可以有效地促进光生电子与空穴的分离效率。反应体系中分离的光生空穴、衍生自由基在染料氧化降解中发挥了重要作用。     

BiOBr/Ni2P/g-C3N4体系中用Ni2P电子桥加速S型体系光生载流子分离

水污染对人类健康和生态环境造成了严重的危害,引起了人们广泛关注.半导体光催化技术被认为是一种去除废水中有机污染物的有效方法.近年来,石墨相氮化碳(g-C₃N₄)作为一种无金属的光催化剂,具有合适的带隙能(Eg≈2.7eV)、良好的化学稳定性、较好的热稳定性、无毒以及强的还原电位(ECB≈-1.3eV)等特点,表现出较好的光催化活性.但由于g-C3N4光生载流子复合快和量子效率低,限制了其实际应用.因此,研究者们开发了各种有效的方法来克服上述缺点,如调控形貌、掺杂离子、沉积贵金属和构建异质结等.其中,构建梯型(S型)异质结已被证实是提高复合材料光催化活性的一种有效策略.S型异质结的形成不仅有效地加速光生电子和空穴的分离和迁移,而且还增强了光生载流子的氧化还原能力.除了电子结构外,异质结的界面电阻直接影响着光生载流子的分离效率,从而决定光催化活性强弱.据报道,具有高导电性的"电子传递介质"或"电子桥"可有效地降低载流子迁移过程中的界面阻力.过渡金属磷化物具有优良的导电性、低廉的价格和无毒的特性,完全满足电子桥的要求,成为电子桥的最佳候选材料之一.结合S型异质结和电子桥的优势,本文采用沉积-沉淀法制备了一种新型的S型BiOBr/Ni₂P/g-C3N4异质结.在可见光(λ≥400 nm)下,该催化剂对甲基橙和罗丹明B的降解活性明显优越于BiOBr/g-C₃N₄.这主要归因于电子桥Ni₂P和S型异质结的协同效应.密度泛函理论计算表明,电子从BiOBr通过电子桥Ni₂P转移到g-C₃N₄.在可见光照射下以及界面内建电场的驱动下,带边缘弯曲和库仑相互作用协同促进了复合物中相对无用的电子和空穴的重组,从而保留了较强氧化还原能力的电子和空穴.活性氧捕获实验、电子顺磁共振光谱和电流-电压曲线结果进一步证明,光催化剂中的电荷迁移方式遵循S型异质结的迁移机制.综上,本文不仅为S型光催化剂的设计提供了有效策略,也为界面载流子的快速分离和迁移提供了切实可行的途径.