Construction of rod-like Bi4O5I2/NaYF4:Yb,Tm composite and its improved photocatalytic degradation performance under near-infrared light

Photocatalytic technology exhibits promising prospects in environmental remediation owing to its sustainable and environmentally friendly advantages. Among the bismuth-rich halide oxides, Bi 4 O 5 I 2 has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in dye degradation due to its favorable valence band and conduction band positions. In this study, we successfully synthesized Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm composites through a solvothermal method. When exposed to visible light, the Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm composite achieved an impressive degradation rate of 86.7% for RhB solution after 60[Formula: see text]min of light-induced reaction. Moreover, the incorporation of NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm into Bi 4 O 5 I 2 extended the utilization of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. Under 980[Formula: see text]nm NIR light irradiation, the degradation rate of Rhodamine B (RhB) solution by the Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm composite reached 43.0% after 240[Formula: see text]min of light reaction. Free radical capture experiments confirmed that h[Formula: see text] and •[Formula: see text] O[Formula: see text] played a significant role as the primary active species in the degradation process of RhB by the Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm composites. Furthermore, we explored the mechanism behind the photocatalytic degradation of RhB solution using the Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm composites. Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm holds great potential as a promising candidate for utilization of NIR light for photocatalytic reactions.