Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of BiOBr/BiOCl flowerlike composites used for photocatalysis

BiOBr/BiOCl flowerlike composites were successfully synthesized in different solutions containing 0.00-1.50 g polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) by microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The as-synthesized BiOBr/BiOCl composites were studied by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, UV-visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and photocatalysis. In this research, the morphologies of tetragonal BiOBr and tetragonal BiOCl products were transformed from BiOBr/BiOCl microplates without PVP into BiOBr/BiOCl microflowers with 1.00 g added PVP. The BiOBr/BiOCl microflowers have optimal visible light absorption and demonstrate excellent photocatalytic activity in degradation of rhodamine B and salicylic acid under xenon radiation. These composites are promising materials used for wastewater treatment.