Development of Bismuth Oxyhalides for Organic Pollutant Photodegradation and Water Oxidation: Effect of Synthesis Parameter and Halide Species

Author(s)

Gabriel K. Macedo ^[1] ; Eduardo Henrique Dias ; Caue Ribeiro ^[3] ; Osmando F. Lopes ^[4]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Química de São Carlos - Brasil

^[3] Embrapa Instrumentação - Brasil

^[4] Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (IQUFU). Instituto de Química. Laboratório de Fotoquímica e Ciência dos Materiais (LAFOT-CM) - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society; v. 33, n. 8, p. 948-957, 2022-06-15.

Abstract

The development of visible-light active photocatalysts is vital to harvest the solar irradiation and build efficient photoelectrochemical devices. Bismuth oxyhalide (BiOCl, BiOBr and BiOI) materials stand out due to their remarkable properties, e.g., the band gap energy can be tuned from 1.9 to 3.4 eV depends on the halide employed. However, the hydrothermal synthesis of this material class was not properly investigated and compared. Then, we evaluated the effect of the hydrothermal treatment in the BiOX’s structural, electronic, morphological and textural properties and the relationship with their photocatalytic performance. Methylene blue (MB) dye was used as probe for photocatalytic performance evaluation under ultraviolet (UV) and visible (Vis) radiation. BiOCl and BiOBr samples showed a good photoactivity under both UV and visible radiation, on other hand the BiOI samples was not active, likely due to the fast charge recombination. BiOCl and BiOBr samples exhibit a favorably interaction with MB dye, because their surfaces are negatively charged. BiOCl samples were able to promote around 40 and 80% of the MB dye degradation under visible and UV radiation, respectively. The samples were also employed as photoanode for O2 evolution, BiOI sample exhibited the best performance, due to the synergistic effect of photocatalysis and electrocatalysis. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/10689-2 - Preparation of reaction systems for photocatalytic methane-to-methanol selective oxidation
• Grantee: Eduardo Henrique Dias
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 18/01258-5 - Novel chemical catalytic and photocatalytic processes for the direct conversion of methane and CO2 to products
• Grantee: José Maria Correa Bueno
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants