Preparation of BiOCl0.9I0.1/β-Bi2O3 composite for degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride under simulated sunlight

A novel and effective BiOCl0.9I0.1/x%β-Bi2O3 composite catalyst was synthesized through a precipitation method. The structure, morphology, and optical properties of the samples were certified by X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic characterizations. Photocatalytic experiments demonstrated that the synthesized BiOCl0.9I0.1/x%β-Bi2O3 composite catalyst exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance toward the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) under simulated sunlight. Furthermore, the TCH degradation rate of BiOCl0.9I0.1/15%β-Bi2O3 increased by 27.6% and 61.4% compared with those of the pure BiOCl0.9I0.1 and pure β-Bi2O3, respectively. Due to the multiple vacancies and valence states possessed by BiOCl0.9I0.1/x%β-Bi2O3, namely Bi5+, Bi(3-x)+, Bi5+–O, Bi3+–O, I− and I3−, the charge separation in photocatalysis reactions can be effectively promoted. The Mott-Schottky measurements indicate that the conduction band (CB) level of BiOCl0.9I0.1/15%β-Bi2O3 becomes more negative relative to that of BiOCl0.9I0.1, guaranteeing an advantageous effect on the redox ability of the photocatalyst. This study provides a new bright spot for the construction of high-performance photocatalysts.