Facile fabrication of g‐C3N4/MIL‐53(Al) composite with enhanced photocatalytic activities under visible‐light irradiation

A novel visible‐light‐driven g‐C₃N₄/MIL‐53(Al) composite photocatalyst was successfully prepared using a facile stirring method at room temperature. The g‐C₃N₄/MIL‐53(Al) composites were characterized and their effects on the photocatalytic activities for rhodamine B degradation were investigated. The g‐C₃N₄(20 wt%)/MIL‐53(Al) photocatalyst displayed optimal photocatalytic degradation efficiency, which was about five times higher than the photocatalytic activity of pure g‐C₃N₄. The improved photocatalytic performance of the g‐C₃N₄/MIL‐53(Al) photocatalyst was predominantly attributed to the efficient separation of electron–hole pairs and the low charge‐transfer resistance. g‐C₃N₄/MIL‐53(Al) also exhibited excellent stability and reusability. A proposed mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity is also discussed based on the experimental results. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Construction of a 2D Graphene‐Like MoS2/C3N4 Heterojunction with Enhanced Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Activity and Photoelectrochemical Activity

A novel graphene‐like MoS₂/C₃N₄ (GL‐MoS₂/C₃N₄) composite photocatalyst has been synthesized by a facile ethylene glycol (EG)‐assisted solvothermal method. The structure and morphology of this GL‐MoS₂/C₃N₄ photocatalyst have been investigated by a wide range of characterization methods. The results showed that GL‐MoS₂ was uniformly distributed on the surface of GL‐C₃N₄ forming a heterostructure. The obtained composite exhibited strong absorbing ability in the ultraviolet (UV) and visible regions. When irradiated with visible light, the composite photocatalyst showed high activity superior to those of the respective individual components GL‐MoS₂ and GL‐C₃N₄ in the degradation of methyl orange. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the composite may be attributed to the efficient separation of electron–hole pairs as a result of the matching band potentials between GL‐MoS₂ and GL‐C₃N₄. Furthermore, a photocatalytic mechanism for the composite material has been proposed, and the photocatalytic reaction kinetics has been measured. Moreover, GL‐MoS₂/C₃N₄ could serve as a novel sensor for trace amounts of Cu²⁺ since it exhibited good selectivity for Cu²⁺ detection in water.     

Preparation of high‐activity AgBr/Ag3PO4 photocatalyst based on hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and mechanism of photocatalytic enhancement

A high‐activity AgBr/Ag₃PO₄ heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized based on hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide. Its microspheres were characterized using X‐ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The new photocatalyst with high photocatalytic activity exceptionally outperforms pure Ag₃PO₄ and AgBr in methyl orange degradation. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity is attributed to the efficient separation of electron–hole pairs. In this photocatalytic reaction, h⁺ and ^?O^2? are the main reactive species that induce visible‐light‐driven degradation.     

Nanosized Functional MOFs Loading Ag/AgBr with Throughout‐Visible‐Light Absorption for High‐Efficiency Photocatalysis

Porous metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) loading metal nanoparticles to form a composite photocatalyst demonstrated unique advantages. Modification of the electron donating group on the aromatic linkers of MOFs could increase the absorption range of light, thereby increasing the photocatalytic activity. In this study, we prepared a composite photocatalyst using a stable NH₂‐functionalized MOF (UiO‐66‐NH₂) to load semiconductor Ag/AgBr nanoparticles, and the resultant composites have intense optical absorption throughout visible light range. The greatly enhanced optical absorption and the unique hetero‐junction between Ag/AgBr and UiO‐66‐NH₂ render efficient separation and utilization of photogenerated electron‐hole pairs. Therefore, Ag/AgBr@UiO‐66‐NH₂ showed much more excellent photocatalytic activity, compared with unmodified UiO‐66 loading Ag/AgBr (Ag/AgBr@UiO‐66) and reported AgX@MOF catalysts. Moreover, the composite photocatalysts showed excellent stability during cycling experiment.     

Visible‐light‐driven photocatalytic degradation using Mn‐doped SrMoO4 nanoparticles

Mn‐doped SrMoO₄ nanocrystals were synthesized by thermal decomposition of metal–organic salt in an organic solvent with the doping content in the range 0–12 mol%. The structures, morphologies and optical properties were characterized using various techniques. The results suggest that Mo sites in the SrMoO₄ lattice are substituted by the Mn dopant, the adsorption bands are found to be shifted toward the visible light region and the band gap becomes narrower correspondingly. The photocatalytic performance of the as‐synthesized product was determined using the degradation of methylene blue by visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic performance is enhanced with Mn doping, and the optimal degradation rate is 85% in 140 min for 5 mol% Mn doping. The enhanced photocatalytic activity with Mn doping may be ascribed to the energy band adjustment and effective photogenerated electron–hole separation caused by the Mn doping. A possible photocatalytic mechanism is also discussed.     

Preparation of BiVO4/MIL‐125(Ti) composite with enhanced visible‐light photocatalytic activity for dye degradation

Because of their desired features, including very specific surface areas and designable framework architecture together with their possibility to be functionalized, Metal Framework (MOF) is a promising platform for supporting varied materials in respect of catalytic applications in water treatment. In this work, a novel visible‐light‐responsive photocatalyst that comprised BiVO₄ together with MIL‐125(Ti), was synthesized by a two‐step hydrothermal approach. The characterization of as‐obtained samples as performed by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscope, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet‐visible diffuse reflection spectra. Rhodamine B was selected being a target for the evaluation of the photocatalytic function of as‐developed photocatalyst. The photocatalytic reaction parameters, for example, the content of BiVO₄ as well as initial concentration of Rhodamine B was researched. The composite photocatalyst possessing Bi:Ti molar ratio of 3:2 brought to light the fact that the greatest photocatalytic activity had the ability to degrade 92% of Rhodamine B in 180 min. In addition to that, the BiVO₄/MIL‐125(Ti) composite could keep its photocatalytic activity during the recycling test. The phenomenon of disintegration of the photo‐generated charges in the BiVO₄/MIL‐125(Ti) composite was brought to discussion as well.     

Ionic‐Liquid‐Assisted Synthesis of Uniform Fluorinated B/C‐Codoped TiO2 Nanocrystals and Their Enhanced Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Activity

Exploiting advanced photocatalysts under visible light is of primary significance for the development of environmentally relevant photocatalytic decontamination processes. In this study, the ionic liquid (IL), 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, was employed for the first time as both a structure‐directing agent and a dopant for the synthesis of novel fluorinated B/C‐codoped anatase TiO₂ nanocrystals (T_IL) through hydrothermal hydrolysis of tetrabutyl titanate. These T_IL nanocrystals feature uniform crystallite and pore sizes and are stable with respect to phase transitions, crystal ripening, and pore collapse upon calcination treatment. More significantly, these nanocrystals possess abundant localized states and strong visible‐light absorption in a wide range of wavelengths. Because of synergic interactions between titania and codopants, the calcined T_IL samples exhibited high visible‐light photocatalytic activity in the presence of oxidizing Rhodamine B (RhB). In particular, 300 °C‐calcined T_IL was most photocatalytically active; its activity was much higher than that of TiO_1.98N_0.02 and reference samples (T_W) obtained under identical conditions in the absence of ionic liquid. Furthermore, the possible photocatalytic oxidation mechanism and the active species involved in the RhB degradation photocatalyzed by the T_IL samples were primarily investigated experimentally by using different scavengers. It was found that both holes and electrons, as well as their derived active species, such as ^.OH, contributed to the RhB degradation occurring on the fluorinated B/C‐codoped TiO₂ photocatalyst, in terms of both the photocatalytic reaction dynamics and the reaction pathway. The synthesis of the aforementioned novel photocatalyst and the identification of specific active species involved in the photodegradation of dyes could shed new light on the design and synthesis of semiconductor materials with enhanced photocatalytic activity towards organic pollutants.     

Facile one‐step synthesis of broken case‐like carbon‐doped g‐C3N4 for photocatalytic degradation of benzene

Herein, a novel broken case‐like carbon‐doped g‐C₃N₄ photocatalyst was obtained via a facile one‐pot pyrolysis and cost‐effective method using glyoxal‐modified melamine as a precursor. The obtained carbon/g‐C₃N₄ photocatalyst showed remarkable enhanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of gaseous benzene compared with that of pristine g‐C₃N₄ under visible light. The pseudo‐first‐order rate constant for gaseous benzene degradation on carbon/g‐C₃N₄ was 0.186 hr^?1, 5.81 times as large as that of pristine g‐C₃N₄. Furthermore, a possible photocatalytic mechanism for the improved photocatalytic performance over carbon/g‐C₃N₄ nanocomposites was proposed.     

Ultrasound‐assisted Synthesis of Ag‐ZnS/rGO and its Utilization in Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline Under Visible Light Irradiation

Recent improvements based on heterojunction nanocomposites have opened new possibilities in photocatalysis. In this research, an ultrasound‐assisted coprecipitation method was used to fabricate silver, zinc sulfide and reduced graphene oxide (Ag‐ZnS/rGO) nanocomposite, and characterization results indicated that 3% Ag‐ZnS spherical nanoparticles are successfully embedded in rGO matrix. The potential of the Ag‐ZnS/rGO, as a visible light active photocatalyst, was assessed through optimizing degradation of Tetracycline (TC) by response surface methodology. It was found that the photocatalytic degradation of TC increased with an increase in the amount of nanocomposite and irradiation time, whereas it decreased with increasing the initial TC concentration. Under the optimal conditions (10 mg L^?1 of TC, 1.25 g L^?1 of Ag‐ZnS/rGO, at pH = 7, and irradiation duration 110 min), more than 90% of the TC was degraded. The study of the mechanism of the photocatalytic process disclosed that the synergistic role of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) induced by Ag nanoparticles and p‐type semiconductor feature of rGO leads to ZnS semiconductor stimulation in the visible light region. Eventually, a pseudo‐first order kinetics model was developed based on the proposed mechanism. The obtained results highlight the role of Ag‐ZnS/rGO nanophotocatalyst toward degradation of some antibiotics under visible light.     

Preparation,activity and photocatalysis mechanism of high‐performance AgBrO3/AgBr photocatalysts

AgBrO₃/AgBr compound photocatalysts were prepared via a precipitation method and characterized by X‐ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible diffusion spectroscopy, and solid surface fluorescence trials. The photocatalytic performances and mechanism were also investigated. It was found the 2.5 wt.% AgBrO₃/AgBr compound photocatalyst was most effective in dye degradation. The AgBrO₃/AgBr showed degradation rate up to 94.5% in a 10 mg/L MO (Methyl Orange) solution and was still very stable after five cycles of reuse. The AgBrO₃/AgBr photocatalysts could oxidize and decompose methyl orange molecules under visible light irradiation. The compounding largely improved the photocatalytic activity of AgBr. Photocatalytic mechanism experiments showed ·OH was the major active species.     

Polyoxometalate encapsulated in metal‐organic gel as an efficient catalyst for visible‐light‐driven dye degradation applications

Contamination of industrial sewage by organic dye pollutants is one of the most common challenges to the daily life. Decontamination can be achieved by adsorption and photodegradation of the pollutants. Herein, an effective visible light‐driven photocatalyst of polyoxometalate encapsulated in metal–organic gel was presented. The resulting composite was named PMA@ MOG‐Cr [PMA= H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀, MOG= metal‐organic gel]. Photodegradation of dye pollutants with PMA@ MOG‐Cr were tested. The introduction of Phosphomolybdic Acid significantly enhanced the light‐absorption properties of MOG‐Cr. The PMA@MOG‐Cr showed an excellent photodegradation efficiency of MB, RhB and MO as high as 99% and 97% in 60 min and 91% in 120 min of visible‐light irradiation with only 10 mg photocatalyst, which was the highest among the tested samples MOG‐Cr, PMA@ MOG‐Cr and Degussa P‐25. The mechanism of the photodegradation of dye pollutants with H₂O₂ over PMA@MOG‐Cr under the visible light was further illustrated. The introduction of PMA promotes effective separation of electron–hole pair by trapping and transferring photogenerated electron. Thus, the two components act in synergy to result in much improved adsorption of certain common organic dyes as well as enhanced oxidative degradation. This work provides a new approach to design MOG encapsulated Polyoxometalate for visible light‐induced photodegradation of organic contaminants for the environmental remediation.     

Method for Visible Light‐Induced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylparaben in Water Using Nanostructured Ag/AgBr@m‐WO3

An efficient method of photocatalytic degradation of methylparaben in water using Ag nanoparticles (NPs) loaded AgBr‐mesoporous‐WO₃ composite photocatalyst (Ag/AgBr@m‐WO₃), under visible light is presented. In this process, quantification of methylparaben in water was carried out by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the HPLC results showed a significant reduction of methylparaben in water due to the enhanced of photocatalytic degradation efficiency of Ag/AgBr@m‐WO₃. For the material synthesis, highly ordered mesoporous‐WO₃ (m‐WO₃) was initially synthesized by sol–gel method and AgBr nanoparticles (NPs) were subsequently introduced in the pores of m‐WO₃, and finally, the Ag nanoparticles were introduced by light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylparaben in water is attributed to the formation of surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) due to the introduction of Ag NPs on the surface of the catalyst. Also, the formation of heterojunction between AgBr and mesoporous‐WO₃ in Ag/AgBr@m‐WO₃ significantly inhibited the recombination of light‐induced electron‐hole pairs in the semiconductor composite. The morphological and optical characterizations of the synthesized photocatalysts (Ag/AgBr@m‐WO₃) were carried out using SEM, TEM, XDR, N₂ adsorption–desorption, UV‐VIS diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Also, the photocatalytic studies using radical scavengers were carried out and the results indicated that ${\text{O}}_2^{·-}$ is the main reactive species.     

Microwave‐Hydrothermal Preparation and Visible‐Light Photoactivity of Plasmonic Photocatalyst Ag‐TiO2 Nanocomposite Hollow Spheres

Visible‐light‐driven plasmonic photocatalyst Ag‐TiO₂ nanocomposite hollow spheres are prepared by a template‐free chemically‐induced self‐transformation strategy under microwave‐hydrothermal conditions, followed by a photochemical reduction process under xenon lamp irradiation. The prepared samples are characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption‐desorption isotherms, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV/Vis and Raman spectroscopy. Production of ?OH radicals on the surface of visible‐light illuminated TiO₂ was detected by using a photoluminescence method with terephthalic acid as the probe molecule. The photocatalytic activity of as‐prepared samples was evaluated by photocatalytic decolorization of Rhodamine B (RhB) aqueous solution at ambient temperature under visible‐light irradiation. The results show that the surface plasmon absorption band of the silver nanoparticles supported on the TiO₂ hollow spheres was red shifted, and a strong surface enhanced Raman scattering effect for the Ag‐TiO₂ nanocomposite sample was observed. The prepared nanocomposite hollow spheres exhibits a highly visible‐light photocatalytic activity for photocatalytic degradation of RhB in water, and their photocatalytic activity is higher than that of pure TiO₂ and commercial Degussa P25 (P25) powders. Especially, the as‐prepared Ag‐TiO₂ nanocomposite hollow spheres at the nominal atomic ratio of silver to titanium ( R ) of 2 showed the highest photocatalytic activity, which exceeds that of P25 by a factor of more than 2.     

Evaluating the efficiency of the GO‐Fe3O4/TiO2 mesoporous photocatalyst for degradation of chlorpyrifos pesticide under visible light irradiation

In this work, the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized graphene oxide (GO)‐Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ mesoporous photocatalysts was evaluated using chlorpyrifos (CP) as a contaminant. The nano‐photocatalyst was characterized by X‐ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and specific surface area by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method. Using visible light, the GO‐Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ mesoporous photocatalyst was investigated on the degradation of CP pesticide. The GO‐Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ photocatalyst displayed a good photocatalytic activity, which was achieving 97% of CP degradation after 60 min. Finally, experiments were performed to evaluate GO‐Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ mesoporous nanocatalyst activity on repeated applications; after several uses, its photocatalytic activity was retained, which indicated stability.     

Construction of SnS2–SnO2 heterojunctions decorated on graphene nanosheets with enhanced visible‐light photocatalytic performance

Heterostructures formed by the growth of one kind of nanomaterial in/on another have attracted increasing attention due to their microstructural characteristics and potential applications. In this work, SnS₂–SnO₂ heterostructures were successfully prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. Due to the enhanced visible‐light absorption and efficient separation of photo‐generated holes and electrons, the SnS₂–SnO₂ heterostructures display excellent photocatalytic performance for the degradation of rhodamine (RhB) under visible‐light irradiation. Additionally, it is found that the introduction of graphene into the heterostructures further improved photocatalytic activity and stability. In particular, the optimized SnS₂–SnO₂/graphene photocatalyst can degrade 97.1% of RhB within 60 min, which is about 1.38 times greater than that of SnS₂–SnO₂ heterostructures. This enhanced photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the high surface area and the excellent electron accepting and transporting properties of graphene, which served as an acceptor of the generated electrons to suppress charge recombination. These results provide a new insight for the design and development of hybrid photocatalysts.     

A Hierarchical Nanostructured Carbon Nanofiber–In2S3 Photocatalyst with High Photodegradation and Disinfection Abilities Under Visible Light

Photocatalytic degradation of pollutants under visible light provides a new door to solve the water contamination problem by utilizing free and renewable sunlight. The search for highly efficient photocatalysts with hierarchical nanostructures remains crucial for accessing this new door. In this work, a new hierarchical nanostructured photocatalyst is designed and synthesized, for the first time, by anchoring In₂S₃ flower‐like nanostructures on non‐woven carbon nanofiber (CNF). The nanostructures of these CNF–In₂S₃ composites were fine‐tuned, with the aim of achieving the highest photocatalytic activity under visible light. The formation mechanism of the hierarchical nanostructure is also investigated. The results indicate that the optimized hierarchical CNF–In₂S₃ photocatalyst is superior in photodegradation and disinfection efficiency to that of pure In₂S₃ under visible‐light irradiation. The prominent photocatalytic activities of these hierarchical CNF–In₂S₃ photocatalysts can be attributed to the excellent properties of enhanced light absorption, large surface area, and efficient charge separation, which are all derived from the special three‐dimensional hierarchical nanostructures. Therefore, this work presents the great potential of this hierarchical nanostructured CNF–In₂S₃ photocatalyst in practical environmental remediation fields.     

Sonophotocatalytic treatment of diazinon using visible light‐driven Ce:Cu‐1,4‐BDOAH2 photocatalyst in a batch‐mode process: Response surface methodology and optimization

Cu–1,4‐benzenedioxyacetic acid (Cu‐1,4‐BDOAH₂) with a narrow band gap (2.52 eV) was synthesized and doped with Ce to afford Ce:Cu‐1,4‐BDOAH₂ as an efficient photocatalyst with narrower band gap (2.39 eV). The prepared Cu‐1,4‐BDOAH₂ and Ce:Cu‐1,4‐BDOAH₂ were characterized using Fourier transform infrared, energy‐dispersive X‐ray, diffuse reflectance spectroscopies, scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. The sonophotocatalytic degradation of diazinon was carried out in a batch‐mode reactor using visible light‐driven Ce:Cu‐1,4‐BDOAH₂ photocatalyst as well as ultrasonic irradiation. The narrow band gap of the photocatalyst means that it can be activated under visible light illumination. The effects of operational parameters such as initial diazinon concentration (5–25 mg l^?1), pH (2–10), photocatalyst dosage (10–30 mg) and irradiation time (10–30 min) on the sonophotocatalytic degradation efficiency were investigated using central composite design under response surface methodology. The optimization process was studied using desirability function and the results indicated 99.8% degradation, which was obtained at optimum values of 25 mg l^?1, 6, 20 mg and 20 min for the initial concentration of diazinon, pH, photocatalyst dosage and irradiation time, respectively. Reusability experiments of Ce:Cu‐1,4‐BDOAH₂ photocatalyst showed that it is quite stable with excellent catalytic activity even after five cycles.     

Preparation of porous g‐C3N4/Ag/Cu2O: a new composite with enhanced visible‐light photocatalytic activity

From previous reports, graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C₃N₄) can be used as a photocatalyst, although the low efficiency of solar energy utilization, small specific surface area and high recombination rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs limit its practical application. For the purpose of increasing photocatalytic activity, especially under irradiation of visible light, we successfully synthesized a new composite, namely porous g‐C₃N₄/Ag/Cu₂O, through chemical adsorption of Ag‐doped Cu₂O on porous g‐C₃N₄, which has not been investigated carefully worldwide. The composition, morphology and optical properties of the composite were investigated through methods including X‐ray diffraction, energy‐dispersive X‐ray, Fourier transform infrared, UV–visible and photoluminescence spectroscopies and transmission electron microscopy. Using rhodamine B as organic pollutant to be degraded under the irradiation of visible light, different mass ratios of Ag/Cu₂O doped on porous g‐C₃N₄ led to enhanced photocatalytic performance of the composite compared to pure porous g‐C₃N₄. When the mass ratio of Ag/Cu₂O is 15%, porous g‐C₃N₄/Ag/Cu₂O exhibits a degradation rate 2.015 times higher than that of pure porous g‐C₃N₄. The reasons for this phenomenon may be attributed to the increased utilization efficiency of visible light, high‐speed separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, accelerated interfacial transfer process of electrons and increased surface area of the composite. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Novel Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalyst Co<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/FeWO<Subscript>4</Subscript> for Efficient Decomposition of Organic Pollutants

A highly efficient and visible light (λ ≥ 420 nm) responsive composite photocatalyst, Co₃O₄/FeWO₄ was prepared by simple impregnation method. The heterojunction semiconductors Co₃O₄/FeWO₄ demonstrated notably high photocatalytic activity over a wide range of composition than the individual component Co₃O₄ or FeWO₄ for the complete degradation of 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DCB) in aqueous phase under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic activity of composite was optimized at 1/99 Co₃O₄/FeWO₄ composition. After 2 h of visible light irradiation 51% decomposition of 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DCB) was observed utilizing 1/99 Co₃O₄/FeWO₄ photocatalyst while the end members demonstrated a negligible degradation under the same experimental condition. The valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) of Co₃O₄ is located above the VB and CB of FeWO₄, respectively. Both the semiconductors Co₃O₄ and FeWO₄ exhibit strong absorption over the wide range of visible light. The obviously enhanced photocatalytic performance of Co₃O₄/FeWO₄ composite has been discussed on the hole (h⁺) as well as electron (e^?) transfer mechanism between the VB and CB of individual semiconductors.     

Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>/BiFeO<Subscript>3</Subscript> heterostructure: preparation,characterization, and photocatalytic activity

Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ composite was successfully fabricated by a conventional sol–gel method and structural properties were characterized based on X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer, nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurement, and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ had a good absorption for visible light, which was benefit to photocatalytic activity. The highest degradation efficiency was obtained when the content of Bi₂O₃ in Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ was 63.9%. Effect of experimental conditions was investigated, and the highest photocatalytic activity of Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ was observed at photocatalyst dosage of 0.5 g/L, initial BPA concentration of 10 mg/L, and solution pH of 6.3. Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ photocatalyst exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for BPA, and the reaction rate constant over Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ composite was 2.23, 3.65, and 8.71 times higher than that of BiFeO₃, Bi₂O₃ and commercial TiO₂ (P25), respectively. Bi₂O₃/BiFeO₃ showed high photocatalytic activity after three cycles, suggesting that it was a stable photocatalyst. The possible photocatalytic mechanism has been discussed on the basis of the theoretical calculation and the experimental results. The hydroxyl and superoxide radicals together with photogenerated holes played significant roles in the photocatalytic reaction.