Hydrothermal Synthesis and Visible Light Photocatalytic Properties of Bi2O2CO3/Bi2WO6 Composite

Here, we report a composite photocatalyst Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 which was successfully prepared via a two-step hydrothermal method assisted by Ag nanoparticles. The use of Ag nanoparticles is promoting the production of Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 by oxidizing ethylene glycol and to obtain the most suitable heterogenous structure. The synthesized Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 photocatalyst possesses larger specific surface areas than pure Bi 2 O 3 and pure Bi 2 WO 6 samples. The complex structure of Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 benefits the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes since its photoluminescence intensity of emission peaks were dramatically weakened. With larger specific surface areas and lower photogenerated electron–hole pairs recombination rate, Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 -3% composite exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity among all samples when photodegrading gaseous pollution under visible light (λ > 420 nm). The photocatalytic activity of Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 -3% composite was 2.05, 3.41 and 10.19 times than that of Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 , pure Bi 2 O 3 and pure Bi 2 WO 6 , respectively. Finally, a possible charge separation mechanism was proposed to explain the improved photocatalytic activity of Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 composite. Graphical Abstract