Boosting Photo-Induced Charge Separation by the NaV2O5/BiOCl Nanocomposite for Alkaline Water Splitting and Environmental Remediation

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical water splitting represents a promising approach for the sustainable and renewable production of hydrogen fuel. In this study, we present the synthesis of a NaV2O5/BiOCl nanocomposite photocatalyst for hydrogen production and environmental remediation. The band structure of the nanocomposite indicates favorable conditions for both the photoreduction and photooxidation of water, with the conduction band (-0.487 VRHE) and valence band (2.902 VRHE) positioned more negatively and positively relative to the H+/H2 and O2/H2O potentials, respectively. The NaV2O5/BiOCl nanocomposite exhibits a significant performance enhancement compared to the individual NaV2O5 and BiOCl materials. This nanocomposite demonstrates excellent photoelectrocatalytic HER and OER performance, achieving overpotentials of 135 mV and 448 mV at a current density of 50 mA cm-2, respectively. The overall water splitting potential reached 1.813 V. Additionally; NaV2O5/BiOCl nanocomposite shows excellence photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline in the presence of oxygen with high stability and recyclability. The nanocomposite exhibited a superior degradation efficiency of 94.31% for tetracycline, with an apparent quantum yield of 547.05 × 10-6 within 12 minutes. To elucidate the degradation mechanism, various operational parameters, including solution pH, catalyst amount, tetracycline concentrations, and reaction time were systematically investigated, alongside the identification of major oxidizing agents.