Synthesis of a novel one-dimensional Bi2O2CO3–BiOCl heterostructure and its enhanced photocatalytic activity

Abstract

Herein, a novel one-dimensional Bi₂O₂CO₃–BiOCl heterostructure was synthesized via a hydrothermal method. For the first time, organic solvent CH₂Cl₂ was used as the Cl source and reaction solvent, and a new one-dimensional Bi₂O₂CO₃ porous rod was used as the Bi source. BiOCl nanosheets uniformly and vertically grew onto the Bi₂O₂CO₃ porous rod by crystallographic oriented epitaxial nucleation and growth, which provides the smallest penetration barrier for photo-generated charge carrier transfer at junctions due to the formation of high-quality interfaces between Bi₂O₂CO₃ and BiOCl. Bi₂O₂CO₃–BiOCl displays higher photocatalytic activity than Bi₂O₂CO₃ porous rods and BiOCl nanosheets to degrade Rhodamine B (RhB), salicylic acid (SA) and phenol. This enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the synergistic effect of the following factors: the formation of a high-quality interface between Bi₂O₂CO₃ and BiOCl, suitable band alignment of Bi₂O₂CO₃ and BiOCl, and one-dimensional ordered nanostructure. A novel route is offered in this work to synthesize a one-dimensional Bi₂O₂CO₃–BiOCl heterostructure with high-quality interface.