Synthesis of novel TiO2/BiOCl@HHSS composites and its photocatalytic activity enhancement under simulated sunlight. Issue 103 (24th October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Wanliang; Xiao, Xu; Lu, Ruixue; Xie, Hanwen; Xu, Meisong; Liu, Mao; Sun, Qi; Tian, Mengkui
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 6:Issue 103(2016)
• Page Start: 101242
• Page End: 101249
• Publication Date: 2016-10-24
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c6ra11904b
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : A novel TiO2 /BiOCl@HHSS photocatalyst has been successfully prepared by a facile one-pot method. Due to with special hollow structure, high surface area, and heterostructure, which ultimately makes the TiO2 /BiOCl@HHSS has high photocatalytic activity under simulated sunlight. Abstract : A novel TiO2 /BiOCl@HHSS photocatalyst (TiO2 /BiOCl heterostructured semiconductor supported on hierarchical hollow silica spheres (HHSS)) was synthesized by a facile one-pot method, and further characterized by XRD, HRTEM, SEM, N2 adsorption–desorption analysis and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra. Structural characterization indicated that the as-synthesized TiO2 /BiOCl@HHSS photocatalyst possessed a special small-hollow-sphere@big-hollow-sphere structure with a diameter of 90–150 nm and a high specific surface area of 414.3 m 2 g −1 . The TiO2 /BiOCl nanoparticles with smaller crystallite size were well dispersed on the HHSS, due to its unique hierarchical sphere structure which composed of much smaller hollow spheres (∼20 nm) covered by external wall. The photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst was investigated by the degradation of reactive brilliant red (RBR) under simulated sunlight. The TiO2 /BiOCl@HHSS composite shows the highest photocatalytic activity among TiO2 /BiOCl, TiO2 @HHSS and BiOCl@HHSS catalysts, due to its special hollow structure, high surface area and heterostructure. A possible mechanism is proposed to explain the degradation of organic dye molecules over the BiOCl/TiO2 @HHSS nanocomposite photocatalyst. The proposed grafting strategy on porous support for the formation of this hybrid photocatalyst can also be applied to other semiconductor candidates resulting in improved photocatalytic performance.