Layer-Contacted Graphene-Like BN/Ultrathin Bi3O4Br Stacking for Boosting Photocatalytic Molecular Oxygen Activation

Novel graphene-like boron nitride (BN)/Bi3O4Br photocatalysts have been controllably synthesized through a facile solvothermal method for the first time. Layer contact stacking between graphene-like BN and ultrathin Bi3O4Br was achieved with strong interaction. Dehalogenation is designed to harvest more visible light, and the ultrathin structure of Bi3O4Br is designed to accelerate charge transfer from inside to the surface. After graphene-like BN was engineered, photocatalytic performance greatly improved under visible light irradiation. Graphene-like BN can act as a surface electron-withdrawing center and adsorption center, facilitating molecular oxygen activation. O-2(center dot-) was determined to be the main active species during the degradation process through analyses of electron spin resonance and XPS valence band spectra.

Automated summary

Novel graphene-like boron nitride (BN)/Bi3O4Br photocatalysts were synthesized controllably for the first time through a facile solvothermal method. Layer contact stacking between graphene-like BN and ultrathin Bi3O4Br was achieved with strong interaction. Dehalogenation and ultrathin structure of Bi3O4Br were designed to enhance visible light absorption and accelerate charge transfer, resulting in greatly improved photocatalytic performance. Graphene-like BN acted as a surface electron-withdrawing center and adsorption center, facilitating molecular oxygen activation. O-2(center dot-) was identified as the main active species during the degradation process.