BN/Fe Hybrid Composites as Highly Efficient Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalysts

A novel Fe-modified BN material was prepared via heat treatment from a C3H6N6·2H3BO3 precursor and nanosized Fe3O4 powders. The as-synthesized BN/Fe photocatalysts were characterized via X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy to investigate their phase composition, microstructure, and photocatalytic properties. Most Fe3O4 powders were reduced to Fe nanoparticles under heat treatment. Then, porous BN/Fe hybrid composites were synthesized. The photocatalytic activities of the Fe/BN composites were evaluated via methyl orange (MO) degradation under visible light irradiation. The BN3 composite achieved the best photodegradation activity for MO. It could rapidly degrade 99.1% MO within 45 min under visible light irradiation.