Preparation and promising application of novel LaFeO3/BiOBr heterojunction photocatalysts for photocatalytic and photo-Fenton removal of dyes

By Sitao Guan, Hua Yang, Xiaofeng Sun, T. Xian. 2020

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Abstract Herein we have designed and fabricated a new type of LaFeO3/BiOBr heterojunction photocatalysts with Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism. The composite photocatalysts were constructed by coupling LaFeO3 nanoparticles with BiOBr microplates. Various advanced characterization techniques (e.g., SEM, TEM, XRD, UV–vis DRS, XPS, PL spectroscopy, FTIR photoelectrochemical measurements) were employed to elucidate the structures, micro-morphologies, element/composition valence states, optical absorption properties, surface functional groups and electron/hole pair separation behavior of the prepared LaFeO3/BiOBr photocatalysts. The photocatalytic and photo-Fenton degradation activities of the as-prepared LaFeO3/BiOBr photocatalysts were investigated by decomposing rhodamine B (RhB) aqueous solution, where simulated sunlight was used as the light source. Among the samples, the 20%LaFeO3/BiOBr composite photocatalyst manifests the highest photocatalytic degradation performance for RhB (η = 98.2% for 30 min reaction). The photodegradation activity of 20%LaFeO3/BiOBr is determined from the reaction rate constants to be about 21.0 and 1.3 times as large as that of bare LaFeO3 nanoparticles and BiOBr mcroplates, respectively. Furthermore, by adding an amount of H2O2 in the reaction solution, the photo-Fenton decomposition performances of the LaFeO3/BiOBr photocatalysts can be further enhanced. Z-scheme electron transfer process and photo-Fenton synergistic mechanism were used to explain the improved photodegradation and photo-Fenton degradation performances of the LaFeO3/BiOBr heterojunction photocatalysts.

Subfields: Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/b09b41ae9c8eda3182f036141a7060b0354c5277