Enhanced visible light driven photocatalytic performance of Bi2WO6 nano-catalysts by introducing oxygen vacancy

The introduction of defect has attracted tremendous interest as an efficient measure for improving the photocatalytic activity of semiconductor photocatalysts. Here, Bi2WO6 nano-catalysts with abundant oxygen vacancy fabricated by a facile surfactant-assisted solvothermal method exhibited superior photocatalytic performance for degradation ciprofloxacin, which achieved 90% after 6 h visible light irradiation. The formation of oxygen vacancy was confirmed by the electron paramagnetic resonance spectra. Theoretical calculation confirmed that the existence of oxygen vacancy would create new electric state vacancy band and then improve light harvesting ability. The experimental results further revealed that the oxygen vacancy dominant Bi2WO6 nano-catalysts possess enhanced visible light ability and photogenerated carrier separation efficiency due to the existence of oxygen vacancy. The oxygen defective Bi2WO6 nano-catalysts would be a promising photocatalyst in the field of treatment of environmental pollution. •The Bi2WO6 nano-catalysts with abundant oxygen vacancy were synthesized by a facile template assisted solvothermal method.•The Bi2WO6 with oxygen vacancies possessed reduced band gap, in favor of enhancing visible light ability.•The oxygen vacancy dominant Bi2WO6 nano-catalysts exhibited excellent visible light photocatalytic activities.