In situ plasmonic Bi grown on I− doped Bi2WO6 for enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalysis to mineralize diverse refractory organic pollutants

Plasmonic Bi metal and I− dopant co-modified Bi2WO6 photocatalysts were successfully fabricated through a one-pot solvothermal method. The samples were characterized by multiple techniques to explore their crystalline structures, surface morphologies, photoelectric properties and photocatalytic performance. The photocatalytic activity of I-Bi/Bi2WO6 samples was evaluated by degrading diverse organic pollutants, including colorless Bisphenol A (BPA), cationic dye Rhodamine B (RhB), anionic dye Congo red (CoR), antibiotic Sulfamethoxazole (SX) and pesticide Atrazine (AZ). The results revealed that 1/5 I-Bi/Bi2WO6 (I:W = 1:5) possessed the best photocatalytic performance for degrading BPA, RhB, CoR, SX and AZ. The improved photocatalytic performance was mainly attributed to the enhanced the visible light harvesting caused by the impurity level generated via the I− dopant and effective separation and migration of photoinduced charge carriers. Moreover, the SPR effect of metallic Bi is also a key factor for the enhancement of photocatalytic performance. Additionally, the 1/5 I-Bi/Bi2WO6 sample also showed excellent photochemical stability after five cyclic tests. This work could be a basic platform for investigating impurity doping and surface metallization co-modified photocalysts with remarkable photocatalytic performance for the environmental pollution degradation.