A dual-templating strategy for synthesis of Bi2WO6 with oxygen vacancies for enhanced light-driven photocatalytic oxidation alcohol

Abstract In this study, the flower-like Bi2WO6 with oxygen vacancies were synthesized by using the anionic and cationic dual surfactants strategy. The study results indicate that the synergistic effect of dual surfactants provides more oxygen vacancies for Bi2WO6, which leads to a narrower band gap, an expanded light response range, and an improved separation efficiency of photogenerated charges in Bi2WO6. In the experiment of photocatalytic selective oxidation benzyl alcohol, Bi2WO6 with dual surfactants shows excellent photocatalytic activity. Especially when the molar rate of CTAB to SDS is 2, the conversion of benzyl alcohol overs 90%, which is 1.74-fold than that of pure Bi2WO6. Meanwhile, Bi2WO6 with dual surfactants also exhibits better photocatalytic efficiency for other aromatic alcohols. Furthermore, the free radical capture experiments show that superoxide radical (•O2−) and hole (h+) play a major role in the photocatalytic selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol.