Rational design of Z-scheme Bi12O17Cl2/plasmonic Ag/anoxic TiO2 composites for efficient visible light photocatalysis

Abstract An all-solid-state Z-scheme plasmonic Ag-Bi12O17Cl2/TiO2 heterojunction, for the first time, was constructed. The in-situ one-step preparation of Bi12O17Cl2 in the presence of Cl source on the surface of TiO2 fiber, which has not been previously reported, led to the successful coupling Bi12O17Cl2 and TiO2. The Ag particles were selectively anchored on the surface of Bi12O17Cl2 and the interface of Bi12O17Cl2/TiO2. The plasmonic effect and electron-hole bridge at the interfaces were thus separately realized. The Ag-Bi12O17Cl2/TiO2 exhibited greatly increased reaction rate in the removal of azo dye molecules under visible light irradiation, which was 5.4 and 1.4 times higher than that of TiO2 and Bi12O17Cl2, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic performance was ascribed to the increased specific surface area, formed Z-scheme heterojunction, and the plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles. This work paves a new way for the rational design of recyclable, efficient Z-scheme photocatalyst for environmental remediation.