Enhancement of light absorption and charge separation through construction of Bi/BiOBr-Bi4O5I2 heterojunction for efficient degradation of bisphenol A

How to realize the efficient utilization of the solar energy and the separation capacity of photo-generated charges is an instant problem in the field of photocatalytic degradation utilizing bismuth oxyhalide. Here, Bi/BiOBr-Bi 4 O 5 I 2 (BOB-BI) heterojunctions have been successfully designed and constructed. The optimized 1BOB-1BI heterojunction achieves a 100 % degradation rate of BPA under simulated solar light illumination (25 min). This excellent photocatalytic ability is ascribable to the synergistic effect of Bi particles and the formation of heterojunction. The significantly improved light absorption of the photocatalyst was benefited by the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Bi particles. The construction of the heterojunction effectively reduces the interfacial transfer resistance, enhancing the separation capacity of photo-generated charges. This research provides a deep insight to the construction of effective bismuth-based heterojunction photocatalysts. • Simple solvothermal synthesis of Bi/BiOBr-Bi 4 O 5 I 2 heterojunction. •Bi particles effectively broaden the range of light absorption. • Type II heterojunction significantly enhances the separation and migration efficiency of photogenerated carriers.