Pt/Bi24O31Cl10 composite nanosheets with significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

Efficient composite semiconductor photocatalysts are highly desirable for the visible-light-driven degradation of organic pollutants. In this study, Bi24O31Cl10 photocatalyst was prepared via a hydrothermal method and modified with Pt nanoparticles (NPs) through a facile deposition procedure. The composite photocatalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electronic microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-vis diffusion reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and electron spin resonance. The 1.0 wt% Pt/Bi24O31Cl10 photocatalyst showed the highest activity for the degradation of methyl orange under visible light (source: 300 W Xe lamp coupled with a UV-cutoff filter), and the photocatalytic degradation efficiency improved about 2.2 times compared to that of pure Bi24O31Cl10. The composite photocatalyst could maintain most of its activity after four runs of the photocatalytic experimental cycle. This study could provide a novel insight for the modification of other desirable semiconductor materials to achieve high photocatalytic activities. (C) 2019, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.