A new family of BiO(ClxBr1 − x) visible light sensitive photocatalysts

Abstract A new family of BiO(Cl x Br 1 − x ) photocatalysts have been synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic activity of the new material was measured on the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and Acetophenone (AP) and photooxidation of potassium iodide in water under UV–vis and visible light (λ ≥ 420 nm) irradiations. In comparison to Degussa P25, the new photoactive material with x = 0.5 demonstrated 3 times higher rate in removing aqueous RhB under visible light irradiation. A morphology, chemical composition and crystalline structure of BiO(Cl x Br 1 − x ) were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. The values of their unit cell parameters depend on Cl/Br ratio and they change according to the Vegard's law.