Ethylene glycol-assisted synthesis, photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic properties of BiOI microflowers

Hierarchical bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) microflower photocatalysts were synthesized by hydrolysis at room temperature. The concentration of ethylene glycol modulated the resulting BiOI morphology. The morphology, elemental composition, crystal phase structure, and absorption properties of the BiOI samples were characterized. Under visible light irradiation (lambda > 400 nm), BiOI (S10) with a microflower morphology exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methyl orange. The corresponding apparent pseudo-first-order rate constant was 0.826 h(-1). The trend in photocatalytic activities of the prepared BiOI samples coincided with the trend in their photocurrents. A strategy for preparing hierarchical BiOI microflowers with good visible light-induced photocatalytic activity is provided.