Rod-on-flake α-FeOOH/BiOI nanocomposite: Facile synthesis, characterization and enhanced photocatalytic performance

Herein, we have prepared different weight percentages of (10%, 20% and 30%) of alpha-FeOOH on BiOI visible light active alpha-FeOOH/BiOI nanocomposite via facile wet impregnation method. The rod-like morphology of alpha-FeOOH and flake-like morphology of BiOI photocatalyst were fabricated via hydrothermal process. The synthesized photocatalyst were explored by different characterization methods such as FT-IR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDAX, HR-TEM and UV-vis DRS. The photocatalytic behavior was assessed by the photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light illumination. The optimum 10% alpha-FeOOH/BiOI nanocomposite showed a superior photocatalytic activity than other photocatalysts. About 91% degradation of RhB was witnessed after 90 min under illumination. Further, the photoluminescence (PL) and photoelectrochemical measurements revealed that the 10% alpha-FeOOH/BiOI nanocomposite showing enhanced charge carrier separation than other photocatalysts. The superior photocatalytic activity and photostability revealed that the alpha-FeOOH/BiOI nanocomposite could be a promising material in wastewater treatment and other environmental remediation applications.