Decoration of Au NPs on hollow structured BiOBr with surface oxygen vacancies for enhanced visible light photocatalytic H2O2 evolution

Photocatalytic H2O2 evolution is a sustainable and safe method with O-2 and H2O as sources. In this study, Au nanoparticles anchored on hollow BiOBr with rich oxygen vacancies were prepared; the obtained hollow OVs-BiOBr-Au exhibited a highest H2O2 evolution of 317.65 mu M in 150 min. It was shown that the combination of 3D hollow structure, Au nanoparticles and oxygen vacancies can narrow the bandgap and improve charge separation efficiency. Further, rotating disk electrode measurements reveal H2O2 is obtained mainly by two electron reduction of O-2 (H2O2 evolution), and density functional theory calculations indicating that oxygen vacancies promote the absorptions and activations of O-2. This work provides a new and promising process for the development of high efficiency H2O2 evolution.