Synthesis of g-C3N4/BiOClxBr1-x hybrid photocatalysts and the photoactivity enhancement driven by visible light

In the current investigation, we report a facile preparation of a series of novel g-C3N4/BiOClxBr1-x, hybrid photocatalysts and their enhanced photoactivity under visible light irradiation. The physicochemical and optical absorption of as-prepared g-C3N4/BiOClxBr1-x were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), filed-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS). A substantial decrease in photoluminance (PL) intensity of as-prepared hybrid photocatalyst compared to g-C3N4 is because of carries transfer between g-C3N4 and BiOClxBr1-x solid solution. The florescence lifetimes of g-C3N4 and the corresponding hybrid photocatalyst were measured using time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) as well. Both DFT calculations and Mulliken electronegativity method were employed to calculate band edges in BiOClxBr1-x solid solutions. The high carries separation efficiency at the interface, between g-C3N4/BiOClxBr1-x, of the hybrid photocatalyst renders g-C3N4/BiOClxBr1-x highly photocatalytically active. The hybrid catalyst showed excellent stability and efficiency even after many runs of photodegradation experiments. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.