A novel AgBr/BiFeO3 Z-scheme heterojunction with boosted photocatalytic dye removal

Abstract

The Z-scheme AgBr/BiFeO₃ heterojunction was successfully constructed via a combined hydrothermal and in situ precipitation strategy. The optimized heterojunction exhibited remarkable photocatalytic activity, achieving 95.72% degradation of Lanasol Red 5B within 60 min under visible-light irradiation, which represented a 5.66-fold enhancement over pristine BiFeO₃. Comprehensive characterization revealed that the Z-scheme heterostructure effectively facilitated charge carrier separation and modified electron transfer pathways. The experimental factor towards degradation efficiency of Lanasol Red was investigated. Furthermore, the AgBr/BiFeO₃ heterojunction demonstrated versatile degradation capability toward various organic dyes including Lanasol Red 5B, rhodamine B, methyl orange, methyl red, and methylene blue. Trapping experiments combined with ESR analysis verified that holes (h⁺) and superoxide radicals (˙O₂⁻) played critical roles in the photocatalytic process, which formed the basis for postulating a Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism. This work provided a feasible synthesis strategy for developing high-performance BiFeO₃-based photocatalytic systems for environmental remediation applications.