Nanojunction-mediated visible light photocatalytic enhancement in heterostructured ternary BiOCl/ CdS/g-C3N4 nanocomposites

• Published in: Catalysis today 2019-02, Vol.321-322, p.18-25
• Main Authors: Bellamkonda, Sankeerthana, Ranga Rao, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: BiOCl; CdS; Graphitic C3N4; Photocatalytic activity; RhB
• ISSN: 0920-5861; 1873-4308
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2018.03.025

[Display omitted] •Fabrication of highly visible light active BiOCl/CdS/g-C3N4 nano-heterostructure.•Order of photocatalytic activity, BiOCl/CdS/g-C3N4 > CdS/g-C3N4 > g-C3N4.•Superoxide radicals and holes are the dominant active species.•Superoxide radicals mainly responsible for RhB photodegradation. BiOCl/CdS/g-C3N4 heterostructure and related photcatalysts have been designed successfully by decorating the 2D organic graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and inorganic bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) semiconductor nanosheets with cadmium sulphide (CdS) nanoparticles. We have employed solvothermal cum co-precipitation method to fabricate the photocatalysts. The morphologies, optical and electronic properties of the photocatalysts have been studied by spectroscopic and microscopic methods. The BiOCl/CdS/g-C3N4 photcatalyst shows remarkably high visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) with first order rate constant of 0.09 min−1. The observed photodegradation activity is of the order, BiOCl/CdS/g-C3N4 > CdS/g-C3N4 > BiOCl/g-C3N4 > g-C3N4. Radical scavenging experiments show that superoxide radicals (O•−2) and holes (h+) are more active species in the photodegradation of RhB than hydroxyl radicals (O•H). This study reveals that morphology and synergic interactions of BiOCl and g-C3N4 nanosheets with CdS nanoparticles are crucial to separate the photogenerated electron-hole pairs and enhance the photocatalytic activity for RhB degradation.