BiOCl/Fe2O3 heterojunction nanoplates with enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance for degrading organic pollutants and reducing Cr(VI)

In this study, a series of novel BiOCl/Fe2O3 (FB) heterojunctions were synthesized through an in-situ oxidation method by using elemental Bi nanospheres as Bi source while FeCl3 as Fe source and oxidizing agent. The visible light-driven (VLD) photocatalytic activity of FB heterojunctions in degrading organic pollutants and reducing Cr (VI) was enhanced significantly in comparison with pure BiOCl and Fe2O3. This enhancement of photocatalytic performance was mainly due to the formation of heterojunction between BiOCl and Fe2O3, which remarkably promoted the separation and transfer efficiency of photo-generated charge carriers. This work demonstrates an effective approach for the fabrication of Bi-based heterostructured photocatalytic systems from in-situ oxidation of elemental Bi by using metal cations as oxidizing agents, which exhibits great potential applications in energy conversion and environmental purification.