In situ forming heterointerface in g-C3N4/BiOBr photocatalyst for enhancing the photocatalytic activity

Removing wastewater with organic pollutants or medicine using semiconductor photocatalysts has attracted increasing attention in recent decades. However, low visible light utilization, high charge carrier recombination and insufficient surface active sites are still the limitation of photocatalysts. Herein, an in situ-forming BiOBr nanosheets on the surface of g-C3N4 were successfully synthesized via water bath in ambient temperature. The carboxyl group of acetic acid plays a vital role in growing for BiOBr nanosheets. The particular construction of g-C3N4/BiOBr composites increases the active sites and improve separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers, which strengthen photocatalytic degradation for pollutants. Meanwhile, electrons were transmitted quickly in the layered graphite carbon of g-C3N4 which owns excellent electrical conductivity. As a result, this work provides a novel approach to in-situ construction of semiconductor heterojunctions and demonstrates the prepared g-C3N4/BiOBr photocatalysts behave great potential in the removal of pollutants.

Automated summary

This research successfully synthesized BiOBr nanosheets on the surface of g-C3N4, which increased the active sites and improved the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers, enhancing the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants.