One-pot synthesis of AgBr-Ag-BiOBr nanosheets for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysis

Synthesis of p-metal-n structures with fine architectures under mild conditions is highly desired yet challenging. Herein, a sheet-like AgBr-Ag-BiOBr heterostructure is successfully fabricated at room temperature using a onepot solution-chemistry method. The catalytic rate constant is 3-fold higher than that of BiOBr in the visiblelight-driven photodegradation of organic pollutants, which is ascribed to the distinctive p-metal-n structure to facilitate the visible-light absorption, the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and the active O-2(center dot-) species production.

Automated summary

In this study, a sheet-like AgBr-Ag-BiOBr heterostructure was successfully fabricated at room temperature using a one-pot solution-chemistry method. The heterostructure showed a 3-fold higher catalytic rate constant than BiOBr in the visible-light-driven photodegradation of organic pollutants, thanks to its distinctive p-metal-n structure that facilitates visible-light absorption, separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and production of active O-2(·-) species.