Synthesis of SiC/BiOCl Composites and Its Efficient Photocatalytic Activity

• Main Authors: Wanli Liu, Qi Li, Xianglong Yang, Xiufang Chen, Xiangang Xu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-08-01
• Series: Catalysts
• Subjects: SiC; BiOCl; photocatalysis; degradation of TC-HCl; hydrogen production
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/10/8/946

BiOCl nanosheets nucleated and grew on cottage cheese-like SiC substrate via hydrothermal procedure, through which a tight heterojunction was formed. SiC/BiOCl composites with varied morphologies were acquired that the formation of BiOCl was involved with different form of carbon existed on surface of SiC. The photocatalytic mechanism analysis revealed that the combination of SiC and BOC significantly enhanced photocatalytic activities owing to the improved visible light utilization, efficient separation of photo-generated carriers, and promoted reactive area. The main active species during the photocatalytic reaction was determined as ·O²⁻ radical by additionally adding trapping agent into the reactant. The SiC-BOC composites showed much higher photoactivities in photocurrent responses and photocatalytic degradation of TC-HCl, which mainly attributed to the well-built heterointerface promoted by Bi-C bonds and the interlaced structure obtained by increasing exposure of (010) facets in BiOCl. The nucleation, growth and combination architecture of BiOCl was all influenced by the involvement of SiC.