Synergetic utilization of photoabsorption and surface facet in crystalline/amorphous contacted BiOCl-Bi2S3 composite for photocatalytic degradation

Abstract Photoabsorption and surface property of semiconductor are two key factors to determine its photocatalytic performance. In this work, BiOCl-Bi 2 S 3 composites composed of Bi 2 S 3 nanoparticles bonded on BiOCl nanoplates enclosed with {001} and {110} crystal facets were synthesized through an in-situ ion exchange method at room temperature. The transformed Bi 2 S 3 made BiOCl-Bi 2 S 3 composites efficient visible light absorption, ensuring the quantity of photoinduced carriers as well as intimate crystalline-amorphous contact interface to benefit the separation of photoinduced carriers. Moreover, BiOCl nanoplates enclosed with {001} and {110} crystal facets can convenient transfer carriers to {001} crystal facets. The photocatalytic performance of BiOCl-Bi 2 S 3 composites was evaluated by the methylene blue photodegradation under visible light irradiation and the results indicate that BiOCl-Bi 2 S 3 composites have good photocatalytic ability due to enhanced light absorption, efficient separation and transfer of carriers. Based on the active species trapping experiments, transient photocurrents, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and energy band structure, a possible photocatalytic mechanism of methylene blue over the BiOCl-Bi 2 S 3 composites was proposed.