Insight into the improved photocatalytic removal of tetracycline hydrochloride by constructing cobalt doping in 2D/2D (BiO)2CO3/BiOCl type-II heterojunctions

Element doping coupled with heterojunction construction and morphology control is an efficient way to improve the properties of photocatalytic materials. Here, a thiourea-modified 2D/2D cobalt-doped (BiO)2CO3/BiOCl heterojunction photocatalyst (denoted as Co-(BC/BL)Tu) was constructed by a simple one-pot hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic property of Co-(BC/BL)Tu product was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl). Compared with the pure (BiO)2CO3 sample, the as-prepared Co-(BC/BL)Tu product displayed outstanding visible-light-driven photodegradation property. The photodegradation rate constant k value of the Co-(BC/BL)Tu product was 5.2 times higher than that of pure (BiO)2CO3, which was the result of the synergistic effect of the 2D/2D structure, cobalt doping and type-Ⅱ heterostructures. It could simultaneously boost the visible light harvesting of the photocatalytic system as well as charge separation. This study provides a facile and promising strategy for constructing a high-effective photocatalytic system by combining morphology control engineering, doping engineering, and heterostructure engineering.