One-Pot Hydrothermal Synthesis of SnO₂/BiOBr Heterojunction Photocatalysts for the Efficient Degradation of Organic Pollutants Under Visible Light

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2018 papers

Abstract

The establishment of p-n heterojunction between semiconductors is an effective means to improve the performance of semiconductor photocatalysts. For the first time, we synthesize SnO₂/BiOBr heterojunction photocatalysts using a one-step hydrothermal method. Systematic material characterizations suggest that the photocatalysts consist of irregular BiOBr nanosheets with the length about 200 nm and width about 150 nm, and SnO₂ nanoparticles are anchored uniformly onto the nanosheets. Most importantly, electrochemical characterizations including transient photocurrent profiles and electrochemical impedance spectra suggest that SnO₂/BiOBr heterojunctions are created, which facilitates the charge separation and transfer efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers. As such, SnO₂/BiOBr photocatalysts exhibit remarkable photocatalytic activities in terms of degrading a series of organic pollutants. Radical trapping experiments and electron spin resonance spectra suggest that superoxide radicals (•O2-) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) are primary medium species running through the photocatalytic degradation process and enhanced photocatalytic performance.

Related Papers

• → Ag3PO4 photocatalyst: Hydrothermal preparation and enhanced O2 evolution under visible-light irradiation(2013)61 cited
• → The role of cations in hydrothermal synthesis of nonlinear optical sodium niobate nanocrystals(2020)9 cited
• Hydrothermal Synthesis and Characterization of Hectorite(2008)
• Hydrothermal Synthesis Mg-Al Layered Double Hydroxides and Selectivity of Crystal Growth Direction(2010)
• Hydrothermal Synthesis and Characterization of Spherical SnO_2 Microcrystals(2010)