Chemical bonding and facet modulating of p-n heterojunction enable vectorial charge transfer for enhanced photocatalysis

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science 2023-12, Vol.651, p.805-817
• Main Authors: Yang, Jian, Wang, Qiangke, Luo, Xuefeng, Han, Chuang, Liang, Yujun, Yang, Gui, Zhang, Xiaorui, Zeng, Zikang, Wang, Guangzhao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Charge separation; Chemical bonding interfaces; chromium; electric field; Facet junction; light; nanoparticles; nanosheets; oxidation; p-n Heterojunction; Photocatalysis; photocatalysts; semiconductors; tetracycline
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.08.048

The synergism of multi-electric field modulation and interfacial chemical bond bridging expedites the vectorial charge separation and migration kinetic for efficient photocatalysis over SO bonded 0D Ag2S/2D Bi4TaO8Cl p-n oriented heterojunction. [Display omitted] •SO bonded 0D Ag2S/2D Bi4TaO8Cl p-n oriented heterostructure is constructed.•Double inner electric fields deliver powerful driving forces for charge separation.•Interfacial SO bond serves as atomic-level channel for promoting charge transfer.•Oriented heterojunction shows brilliant redox activity for TC and Cr(VI) removal.•Detailed photocatalytic mechanisms, degradation pathway and toxicity were proposed. Heterojunctions have been proved to be the promising photocatalysts for hazardous contaminants removal, but the inferior interfacial contact, low carrier mobility and random carrier diffusion seriously hamper the photoactivity improvement of the conventional heterojunctions. Herein, SO chemically bonded p-n oriented heterostructure is fabricated via selectively anchoring of p-type Ag2S nanoparticles on the lateral facet of n-type Bi4TaO8Cl nanosheet. Such a p-n heterojunction engineering on specific facet of Bi4TaO8Cl semiconductor derives ingenious double internal electric field (IEF), which not only effectively creates the spatially separated oxidation and reduction sites, but also delivers the powerful driving forces for impactful spatial directed photocarrier transfer along the cascade path. Additionally, our experimental and theoretical analyses jointly signify that the interfacial SO bond could serve as an efficient atomic-level interfacial channel, which is conducive to encouraging the vectorial charge separation and migration kinetic. As a result, the Ag2S/Bi4TaO8Cl oriented heterojunction exhibits significantly enhanced visible light driven photocatalytic redox ability for tetracycline oxidation and hexavalent chromium reduction than those of single component and the traditional random/mixed heterojunctions. This study could provide a deeper insight into the synergistic effects of multi-IEF modulation and interfacial chemical bond bridging on optimizing the photogenerated carrier behaviors.