One-pot synthesis of Bi24O31Br10/Bi4V2O11 heterostructures and their photocatalytic properties

Abstract

Bi₂₄O₃₁Br₁₀/Bi₄V₂O₁₁ heterojunction photocatalysts were successfully prepared by a facile, one-pot solvothermal method. In the obtained heterojunctions, Bi₄V₂O₁₁ nanoparticles were uniformly immobilized on or inlaid onto the surfaces of the Bi₂₄O₃₁Br₁₀ nanosheets. They exhibited superior visible light photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). Among them, the 25% Bi₄V₂O₁₁ sample possessed the highest photocatalytic activity, the degradation rate of which was 4 and 6 times as fast as that of bare Bi₂₄O₃₁Br₁₀ and Bi₄V₂O₁₁, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the effective separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. The trapping experiments confirmed that the photogenerated holes and ˙O₂⁻ radicals were the main active species responsible for the photodegradation of RhB.